This question was at the heart of the workshop Fabricated Natures: Stories from the Bio-Material Archive, held on October 17-18, 2024, by the "Proteins and Fibers" Working Group. Fueled by a longstanding interest in historicizing biomaterials, the workshop explored how humans have transformed plant and animal materials into tools, objects, and even concepts. From emulating nature’s processes to creating new materials, the discussion tackled topics at the intersections of science, technology, and culture.
We kicked off the event by introducing the working group’s recent bibliographic project tracing the rise of biomaterials research in the late 20th century. This project lays the foundation for understanding how material fabrication connects disciplines like medical sciences and textile sciences—relationships often overlooked in siloed academic approaches.
The workshop brought together scholars from fields as diverse as art history, computational science, and the history of technology, which sparked vibrant exchanges. The participants each highlighted a role played by living organisms—microbes, plants, and animals—in material production. Case studies revealed how bio-materials are shaped not only by ecological factors but also by cultural and social contexts, underscoring the need for holistic perspectives that consider environmental and societal impacts.
One key example of interdependence highlighted the relationships between insects, plants, and humans, emphasizing that bio-materials cannot be understood without accounting for the ecological and cultural networks they inhabit. This insight led participants to advocate for more holistic approaches, crucial for understanding how fabrication processes give way to large-scale production modes with lasting environmental consequences.
A highlight of the event was the keynote lecture by Professor Hannah Landecker (UCLA), titled "On Saving the Planet with Proteins: The Historical Significance of Shifting Biological Engineering into Post-Translational Space-Time." Landecker’s talk illuminated how proteins, with their “tunability,” have been manipulated to revolutionize industries—from textiles to medicine—since the early 20th century. Her insights shed light on the transformative role of industrial enzymes and proteins in shaping consumer goods and practices, with profound implications for sustainability and profit.
So, how can these transformative processes be recognized and brought into sharper focus?
Landecker’s lecture underscored the need to pay closer attention to biological technologies and materials that quietly shape modern life. Processes like the mass production of industrial enzymes or the engineering of proteins often operate behind the scenes yet profoundly influence industries, from medicine to everyday consumer goods. Their significance for society contrasts with how they remain largely overlooked by historians of science. We came away with an understanding that we need to expand our analytical frameworks, bridge disciplinary divides, and develop global perspectives on how these processes have emerged and diversified in order to better address these life-altering biotechnologies.
The workshop made clear that understanding the past and future of biomaterials—untangling the complex relationships between materials and fabrication practices—requires multidisciplinary collaboration and a common language organized around themes of scale, imagination, emulation, and business. The groundwork was laid for deeper inquiries into the history of fabrication that recognize that the story of bio-materials is as much about humans as it is about the living world we shape—and are shaped by.
Isabela Dornelas & Lisa Onaga