Brian Anderson presents at Linen Biennale in Northern Ireland

Brian Anderson, Assistant Professor of Industrial Design and coordinator of the UIC MDes Prelim Program, presented at the Linen Biennale Northern Ireland, Lisburn, Northern Ireland (UK), Ocbober 3-4, 2018. Brian's talk featured his ongoing investigation into the forms and fabrication of domestic objects ultimately destined for landfill. His talk contributed to a broader narrative of inquiry into ideal sustainable practices that acknowledge and respond to local and global material ecologies.

Invited presenations were designed to:

Recall: To celebrate linen and flax fibre heritage through design that emphasises the longevity, durability and timeless quality of linen.

Rethink: To increase awareness, of the importance of textiles within our everyday lives and of the particular attributes of linen and flax fibre for a range of artefacts and design-led product innovations.

Reform: To communicate the value of textiles, eroded through globalisation, through the recognition of linen/flax fibre as a relatively sustainable material. And to emphasise the ethos of a ‘slower’ more responsible approach to the development of value-added product to include new flax fibre applications such as composite materials.