Material ConneXion presents “Thai Materials”
July 19-August 31, 2011
Exhibition to Celebrate the Creativity, Ingenuity and Diversity
of Materials Made in Thailand
New York, NY, July 8, 2011 - Global materials consultancy Material ConneXion is pleased to present Thai Materials, an exhibition celebrating the creativity, diversity and ingenuity of materials made in Thailand. Organized by Material ConneXion Bangkok and the Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC), the exhibition will be on view at Material ConneXion's New York City headquarters from July 19-August 31, 2011.
First presented at the TCDC in Bangkok in 2010, Thai Materials tells the story of contemporary Thai design as a driver of economic growth in Thailand through a look at some of the most intriguing Thai materials inducted into Material ConneXion's global library in recent years.
The exhibition's debut in the United States was made possible with support from the Thai-US Creative Partnership, an organization that promotes the exchange of cultural, business and educational resources between Thailand and the United States.
"With its abundance of natural resources, rich heritage of craft and thriving design community, Thailand offers a fertile environment for the development of new materials," said Apisit Laistrooglai, Managing Director of the TCDC. "The creative possibilities emerging from this country are really exciting—whether they're traditional materials with novel uses or the latest technological advancements."
The Thai people have a long history of utilizing and adapting indigenous materials to give physical expression to creative ideas. Wood, plant fibers, marine organisms and minerals have been used for generations to create exotic and exquisite handicrafts that are a hallmark of Thai culture.
Over the past several years, the Thai government has focused on expanding and strengthening this practice through its design-driven program for economic revitalization. This nation-wide initiative has centered on transforming the country into a creative economy in which knowledge, skills, local traditions and technology are used to develop cultural assets into new products and services.
Organizations such as the TCDC and Material ConneXion Bangkok are playing a pivotal role in this endeavor by helping to make design and manufacturing resources available to all Thais and by promoting Thai materials in the global marketplace.
Represented through a series of art objects, prototypes and case studies showing their successful implementation in a variety of applications, the materials featured in this exhibition are indicative of the broad range of Thai solutions currently being explored by designers and manufacturers throughout Thailand and internationally.
Papers made with banana plant fibers, edible packaging derived from Casava starch, bio-active fabrics made with bacteria cultured with fruit juice, and eco-friendly inks that contain vegetable and soybean oil in place of harsh chemicals represent just a cross-section of the exciting material developments emerging from this country. As the Thai people seek to adapt and expand the number of uses for Thailand's natural resources, they have been able to retain the quality and character of their indigenous materials while increasing functionality and profitability.
Thai manufacturers are also developing new and innovative ways to reuse waste and agricultural byproducts. Jerada Leather has created high-quality leather products from fish skins left over from tilapia processing, while companies like Triple Pim and Kaewsing Co. are recycling old jeans and glass bottles into decorative, sustainable and utilitarian building materials.
Thai Materials demonstrates how Thailand's local materials, customs and traditions have become an important factor in the country's modernization and globalization, helping both to distinguish its export products while increasing international awareness of its strong cultural identity.
Public Viewing Hours:
July 19-August 31, 2011
Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm
For images and more information please contact:
Alison Zingaro
212-842-1679 / azingaro@materialconnexion.com
About Material ConneXion®:
Material ConneXion is a global materials consultancy that helps companies innovate through smart materials thinking. Built on the belief that Every Idea Has A Material Solution, Material ConneXion is the trusted advisor to Fortune 500s, smaller forward-thinking companies, and government agencies seeking a creative, competitive, or sustainable edge through strategic material selections. With offices in New York, Bangkok, Cologne, Daegu, Istanbul, Milan and soon Beijing, China, Material ConneXion's international network of specialists provides a global, cross-industry perspective on materials and their potential uses. The company maintains the largest subscription-based Materials Library of innovative materials and processes in the world—an indispensable asset to a wide audience of designers and architects and a vital tool for the development of design, industry and economy. Material ConneXion is owned by Sandow. www.materialconnexion.com
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