The Textiles & Materiality Research Cluster has awarded two Individual research grants to student cluster members, Donna Legault and MJ Daines.
Donna Legault’s project, entitled, Drone, draws on current scientific investigation into the physical dynamics of insect communication behaviour. It will combine appropriated video with electronic sound synthesis in an immersive installation that explores micro-robotic futures for its influence on both human and non-human species. Further to exploring the material production and relation of materiality to environmentally ethical issues, this project involves the development of an electronic sound synthesis kit for use as a flexible development tool in workshop environments. This workshop will be offered to Cluster members, as well as a series of workshops for Milieux members, MFA students and interested members of the extended community.

MJ Daines’ research-creation project, combining archival research and weaving, will take place during an artist residency. MJ will use her time to look through the archives to locate textiles and will analyse these textiles and hypothesize the methods used to create them. MJ is interested to explore the the way in which these textiles were intended to be used in contrast with the way they are valued today.
Congratulations to the winners!