News

Jun 01, 2017

Nature Knows Best

Tempe Center for the Arts presents designs inspired by the genius of the natural world.

Emily Longbrake, Origin- Insertion I II III, wood and string

  From the tiny hooks on a burdock burr plant that inspired the creation of hook and loop fasteners by Velcro Companies, to the remarkable aerodynamic body of the kingfisher bird that helped improve Japan’s 200 mile-per-hour bullet train, nature’s ingenuity has inspired scientists, engineers and artists throughout time. Biomimicry seeks to emulate nature to create sustainable solutions to human problems. Today, biomimicry is used by professionals such as scientists, engineers, architects, designers and business people to create new and improved products, manufacturing processes and design standards. The Arizona State University Biomimicry Center currently offers two graduate-level programs online, with additional on-campus programs in development.

Alan Bur Johnson, Progeny

Genius designs found in nature and some new ideas they have inspired are on display at The Gallery at TCA‘s new exhibition “Biomimicry: nature inspired design,” May 19 through Aug. 26. The show includes works from Arizona artists Matt Baral, Jose Benavides, Alexandra Bowers, Alan Burr Johnson, Christine Cassano, Halldor Hjalmarson, Nissa Kubly, Christine Lee, Emily Longbrake and Damon McIntyre. The Gallery at TCA is collaborating with a variety of organizations such as the Velcro Companies and Arizona State University departments including Science is Fun, the LeRoy Eyring Center for Solid State Science, the Biomimicry Center, the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability and the Natural History Collections at the School of Life Sciences. In conjunction with the exhibition The Gallery at TCA will host events for all ages including hands-on family workshops on Saturdays, a biomimicry challenge with three artists working on biomimicry projects, a think-tank Beehive for teens, Friday night maker nights and a lecture with nationally recognized expert Dr. Dayna Baumeister, co-founder of Biomimicry 3.8, that uses the practice of biomimicry to help innovators find inspired design solutions.

---