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Materials Library Takes on Ceramics 
at the Victoria & Albert Museum

Innovative research from the Institute of Making (IoM) has a continuity of contributions toward a senso-aesthetic theory of materials – to help create a richer discourse between a materials-science community interested in the techno-physical and a materials-arts community interested in senso-aesthetics.

The Institute holds well-established credentials for public engagements with senso-aesthetics research from such exhibition-events as Materials Library Presents... Tate Modern’s rehang (2006) commissioned by the Tate, ‘Flesh’ (2007) and ‘Hair’; (2008) (commissioned by the Wellcome Collection Trust). Visiting curators from the V&A were so impressed by these events that they approached the IoM’s Materials Library (Conreen is the Director of Making) with a brief to research and curate an event/exhibition on the science of ceramics for the opening of the Museum’s new Ceramics Galleries.

The research identified/located and purchased new and emerging ceramic materials such as zirconium knives, levitating superconductors; catalytic converters, tiles of aluminum nitride and silicon nitride ball bearings. (Now housed in the IoM’s Materials Library at University College London)

Part of the event ‘s design included an experiment engaging the audience in tasting tea out of cups of different materials under the supervision of Master tea-taster Henrietta Lovell from the award-winning Rare Tea Company.

Building on the research underpinning this event, the IoM won funding for, and is now running, an EPSRC ‘Bridging the Gaps’ initiative in collaboration with the internal communities of UCL and King’s College London with materials as the central theme. Towards this end, the Institute of Making will facilitate and support activities designed to invigorate innovative materials-related research through seed funding, studentships, residencies, and workshops. So far the Institute has funded projects that include the 3D printing of ceramics and the development of new bio-scaffolding. We are also developing our own project to develop aluminium nitride wafers into useable tools.