To what extent are our physical bodies affected by the interaction between our environment and the surfaces and materials we encounter? Surface Tension is a virtual exhibition that focuses on realising the positive impact materials have on the human body. From gloves designed for NASA astronauts, antiviral seaweed face masks, eco textiles which capture carbon, to 3D printed prosthetics that mimic the structure of bone.

Skin, a biological surface, is the barrier between the self and the world. The complex exterior and semipermeable membrane interact with our biology and the environment. Yet, surface has often been overlooked in the quest for depth and truth. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly redefined our lives, from how we dress to our values in life, work, travel and play. With our long-established patterns being challenged we are given the time and opportunity to reflect upon our relationship with our environment, identities and intentions. With a virus that shifts our perspective to the barrier between us and the world around us, we ask how can the materials that we wear or interact with can offer both protection and improve our wellbeing? Fashion, or the business of clothing, hasn’t always been designed with our ever-changing circumstances and new technologies in mind. However, this doesn’t mean that the potential is not there. Today, there is an opportunity and a responsibility to rethink the surfaces that surround us, with the physical, environmental and cultural implications at the centre of design.

This exhibition is designed to host both speculative materials concepts and projects which are currently on the market or in the process of being manufactured. While using this as a showcase for what materials are available, this will also be intended to accelerate progress of the industry, for a future where the body and surface are considered simultaneously. Visit the Immersive digital experience via surfacetension.world curated by Rosie Broadhead and Wilson Oryema.