Exhibition
The Parsons Healthy Materials Lab presents Regeneration of Flax: Linseed, Linen, Shive & Oil at the Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries on 5th Avenue in NYC. The exhibition will display the breadth of applications of products from the flax plant and encourage increased regional development of flax fiber in North America. Through the diversity of innovative designs, historic and current, our goal is to reconnect designers with the lifecycle of their materials.
Flax has been used for centuries for ropemaking, as a food source, and for textiles. It is a bio-based replacement for petrochemical-based products. The entire flax plant (Linum Usitatissimum) can be utilized, leading to zero-waste, healthier materials for textiles, finishes, paints, insulation and flooring. Through showcasing photography, material samples, written text, diagrams and artwork, the exhibit will display the flax plant through its life cycle, in various applications, and ultimately its compostability. Currently, fiber flax is primarily grown in Western Europe. Our exhibition will bring discourse to revitalization efforts of flax for linen textile production in North America. Additionally, the exhibition will highlight and display the use of linseed oil and shive byproducts for the built environment.
In response to the current climate crisis, our exhibition and related public programming will contribute to the crucial discussion concerning carbon sequestration, regional economies and the ongoing shift towards healthier, bio-based materials.
Exhibition: September 30th-November 12th, Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries 66 5th Avenue, NY
Opening & Panel Discussion: October 7th, Register Here
Spinning Workshop: October 30th, Register Here, Limited Registration for Students of Parsons
Healthy Materials Lab is a design research lab at Parsons School of Design. They are dedicated to a world in which people’s health is placed at the center of all design decisions. They are committed to raising awareness about toxic chemicals in building products and to creating resources for designers and architects to make healthier places for all people to live. With a dedicated team of design researchers, faculty, and student researchers, they work every day to creatively raise awareness of the impacts materials can have on our lives… and equip designers and architects with knowledge to build healthier places for all people to live and understand the lifecycle of their material choices.