Sunday, November 10, 2024
Panel discussion with Sasha Fishman, Alicia Valdés, Stella Harry Lee | Moderated by Lera Niemackl
5:00 PM | Free
Where: Murmurs
1411 Newton St. Los Angeles

The panel brings together three unique perspectives, all exploring the theme of ‘nature as material’ in distinct ways: Sasha, through her sculptural work; Alicia, with her expertise in material design; and Stella, from a product design standpoint. Together, we will explore how our disciplines are interconnected, the roles we each play in advancing biomaterials, and the urgent challenges we are collectively addressing.

Sasha Fishman is a NY based sculptor and researcher. She is particularly interested in marine biomaterials, toxicology and energy harvesting as points for critical analysis and mechanisms for sculpting. She is a recent MFA Sculpture graduate from Columbia University where she collaborated with labs on salmon, fountains, and carbon capture materials. Sasha is a 2024 Puffins Grant recipient and a current Artist in Residence at Smack Mellon.

Alicia Valdés is currently based in Paris, she is a multidisciplinary designer working at the intersection of biodesign and circular materials, fashion, and art.

Stella Harry Lee is an independent material and product designer with experience working at Nike, Victoria’s Secret, and currently designing handbags at Baggu. Her personal work focuses on how she sees her role as a designer exploring the future of materials and products. She hopes to bridge the gap between innovation and consumer through demonstrating that products can be both aesthetically compelling and socially impactful. She continues to help make material innovation more approachable and create an emotional connection between consumers and the materials they engage with.

Lera Niemackl is a Los Angeles based artist and scientist primarily working with bioengineered systems. She is interested in rethinking traditional scientific frameworks through storytelling and experimenting with novel cell based forms. Lera has been a resident mycologist at the Odin (Austin, TX), she is a founder of Soft Genes, a synthetic biology community and arts collective (LA), and is a current research fellow at Metabolic Studio (LA) working with gut transplants in insects.