Biomateriality as an alternative to productivist aestheticism

Abstract

Biomateriality regarded as a material comprised of a living organism because it is -or has been- part of it, or, because it is a product of this organism, is increasingly present in the design field. However, bio-based materials are often envisaged as a reductionist alternative which is just grounded on the concept of plastic substitute without seriously questioning the underlying logic of consumption and the means of production. This requires dealing with biomateriality from an ontological perspective, that is, as an alternative dissenting with the current ways of production which brings about new aesthetic and formal principles. The sustainability of bio-based materials is derived from the use of not only different materials but also different global means of production and consumption which, in turn, create new product design approaches that change the universal patterns of industrial design. Therefore, biomateriality should not be addressed within the framework of the current global market logic since, in doing so, it would be subject to the commodification posed by the present consumer society.