Have you ever wondered what art made for bees would look like? What about shoes for a cow? Or a tube station for a pigeon? No, I haven’t lost my mind. This is the new More Than Human exhibition at the Design Museum, exploring how design can help our planet thrive by shifting its focus beyond human needs.
I was invited to a press preview of the exhibition last week, and came away feeling particularly inspired… While I’m clued up on plans for a green transition, and hopefully, a circular economy, what about a world in which we design for all of nature-kind, not just humankind?
Can We Be More Than Human?
Perhaps not, but we can certainly think further than simply catering to humankind. This is what Design Museum’s new exhibition spotlights, but rather than simply jumping to futuristic imaginings, it actually roots us back into indigenous wisdom first.
The exhibition starts by highlighting how modern science and design has undervalued and underutlised our connection with nature. It takes us through traditional farming practices: corn dollies; fish traps made to let young fish go; even necklaces for a farmer’s most precious cows, showing how we used to work in harmony with nature, even as agriculture blossomed.
Then, it folds in new designs to help save nature where we have sadly destroyed it: sea structures to support new coral growth; perches for pigeons whose human abandonment has caused its own overpopulation problem today.
And finally, it brings in the imaginative, outlandish designs. A jacket dyed with bacteria. A tapestry that makes us see the world as a humble bee would. Even one man’s dream to live as a goat. (You’ll laugh when you see it.)
My Rating: 9/10
‘More Than Human’ is on at Design Museum until 5th October. This exhibition got me thinking about how important it is that we advocate for people and planet in more than just business; they need to be considered in design, politics, even law. I’d love to know if you come away feeling as inspired as I did!
