DAVID
EXPEDITION ÆQUALIS project / Collaboration with DUTCH INVERTUALS2022
David / Mutated Daisy
‘Don't get too frustrated if you look a little different from others, you too will be able to open your own fourth leaf.’
Dae Uk Kim’s modified daisy originates from his research into mutated nature, starting from the belief that we are all mutant. Kim draws inspiration from the many naturally occurring mutations in plant species, such as the four-leaf clover. The clover typically only has three leaves, but when one becomes damaged, its will to live pushes it to create a fourth leaf. The fourth leaf has consequently become a symbol of good luck, happiness and prosperity in many cultures.
David represents the natural phenomenon of fasciation, also known as cresting, a relatively rare condition of abnormal growth in vascular plants. This variation pushes the apical meristem (growing tip) to grow perpendicularly to the original direction of growth, thus producing an elongated, ribbon-like form.
This phenomenon occurs for many reasons, including hormonal, genetic, bacterial, fungal, viral and environmental disturbances. The results are often beautifully elaborate contorted tissue, and the species which can develop fasciation are specifically grown and prized for their aesthetic value.
Kim’s work celebrates the beautiful mutations that take place in nature, pushing us to embrace and appreciate our diversities. What can we learn from the way we look at mutated nature?
EXPEDITION ÆQUALIS
‘A design exploration for transitioning humanity towards an eco-centric future.’
Expedition Æqualis is an ongoing, interdisciplinary design-research project by Dutch Invertuals in collaboration with The Future Laboratory, Edhv and Reon Brand (Philips Experience Design). Together, we have embarked on a three-year transformative exploration towards an eco-centric future where humans are, and want to be, part of a healthy and balanced ecosystem. Expedition Æqualis envisions a future in which diverse species can coexist, flourish and contribute to mutual benefits, shared meaning and resilience.
In this journey, we bridge both the physical and digital world, so that they can benefit from each other. We employ design as a creative force to inspire audiences and transform our relationship with the planet. Design is a powerful tool to rethink and rebuild the world we live in. By using it as an activist vehicle we want to start a ground-up worldwide movement to make impactful change and accelerate the transformation of the current anthropocentric paradigm towards an eco-centric one.
In May 2022, the first iteration of Expedition Æqualis is presented at The Future Perfect, a leading contemporary design gallery in NYC. Here we showcase the initial 18 digital probes, which have been created by five designers: Ada Sokół, Edhv, Ausblau, Delphine Lejeune, and Dae Uk Kim. Through their work, the designers play with nature’s principles to learn from it and preserve it.
This is the start of an exploration in a new world, a web3 encyclopedia and laboratory where technology is used to restore our ways of relating to, understanding and admiring nature. These digital probes are offered as NFTs to form a global community that sustains the expedition: owners become the ambassadors of our mission.
By using web3 technology to gain a better understanding of nature’s ingenuity and characteristics, we can discover how to positively integrate its principles as future building blocks. Collaborating with designers, thinkers and other makers, we will proceed by applying this knowledge in the physical realm.
EXPEDITION ÆQUALIS, exhibition
The Future Perfect NYC, May / June 2022
@thefutureperfect
Curator / Design Director
Wendy Plomp
Founding partners
Reon Brand (Director Design Research at @philips)
Britt Berden (Art Director @thefuturelaboratory)
Remco van de Craats (Founder Studio Edhv / Co-Founder Dutch Invertuals)
Designers
@ada_sokol, @edhv_studio, @christophdichmann, @demc__, @_dae_uk_kim_
Campaign visuals and graphic design
@edhv_studio
Supported by
Cultuur Eindhoven @cultuureindhoven
Kingdom of the Netherlands, Dutch Culture NYC @dutchcultureusa
Brabant C @brabantcfonds