Living Form: Sculpting with Bio-materials
RESEARCH PROJECT IN DEVELOPMENT
What if sculpture did not begin with extraction —
but with cultivation?
What if form was not imposed,
but grown?
Living Form is a period of research and development exploring how living systems — mycelium, bio-composites, organic binders — might become collaborators in sculptural practice.
This webpage summarises my previous relevant work, my proposed research themes, in support of my application to Art Council England’s Research and Development for individuals fund.
EXISTING WORK IN THIS AREA
MELTING POINT (2024)
This duo of sculptures explores the most energy & emission intensive moment of transformation at the heart of steel and glass manufacturing, where they are transformed into a liquid state before they solidify into their final forms. Invited to touch the sculptures, the audience become the catalyst for change, activating the thermochromic pigments and unveiling the hidden spectrum of colours that lie beneath the surface.
The creation of these sculptures serves as a micro-example of the complexities inherent in sustainable decision-making. The sculptures were consciously crafted from scrap & compostable materials, with consideration of their impact from creation, and their lifecycle informing all design choices. This process has resulted in an outcome sustainability report, sharing the project findings.
Upon decommissioning, the sculptures were fortunately rehomed permanently — extending their lifecycle. However, this outcome relied on circumstance rather than systemic design. If crafted entirely from biomaterials, the works could have operated within a fully circular framework. Materials such as mycelium composites, plant-based binders, bio-resins, or cellulose structures would allow the sculptures to biodegrade safely, returning nutrients to the soil rather than requiring storage, disposal, or preservation.
VISIONS OF NATURE (2024)
Forest floor is a wearable sculptural installation, inviting you to immerse yourself in nature. For this piece, I was commissioned to create the sculptural, installation elements to sit alongside a 360 VR experience. This includes a set of modular wooden stump stools, and 10 ‘forest floor’ headsets, adorned in natural moss, leaves, and fungi.
The use of biomaterials integrated natural, tactile elements that enrich the user experience and soften the technological aspects. Future developments of this approach could further explore the intersection between biomaterials and immersive technology, examining how sustainable, living, or regenerative materials might deepen sensory engagement and reframe our relationship with both nature and digital space.
RISE (2020)
This sculpture celebrates the strength and resilience of the local Kirklees community throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic; providing a moment for contemplation and an opportunity for the community to find hope and renewed courage in these challenging times.
Created from scrap materials and single-use plastic, RISE also acts as a call to action for our community to take responsibility for reducing plastic pollution; making the statement that from what we view as waste, beauty can be created and simultaneously, from darkness can come light.
Having explored themes of transformation, material lifecycle, and human interaction with both physical and digital environments in my previous projects, my practice is now shifting toward a deeper investigation of biomaterials and regenerative design. Rather than viewing materials as static or finite, this next phase focuses on systems of growth, decay, and circularity — examining how sculptural and installation-based work can align more closely with ecological processes.