Goldsmiths - University of London

Martin Conreen BA (Hons)

Teaching

BA Design, MA Design – Critical Practice, MRes in Design, MPhil/PhD

Areas of supervision

PhD supervision topics
My research student supervision is located in the following broadly defined areas: Design practice; creative methods; phenomenology; materials; material culture; manufacturing and processing materials; materials innovation and materiality; sustainable design; user/object relationships.

Research interests

Since spring 2005 my major research interest has been in the field of new and emerging materials. This interest extends to regular /traditional materials and those resources that are steadily depleting and soon to be a thing (material) of the past. This work has led to making speculative objects such as the “Crystacast proto-type thermochromic brick” for an exhibition of New materials,“Materials of invention, 100 years of construction innovation” at The Building centre London in June 2006 and speaking at the Materials of invention Conference, The Building centre London 26th June 2006 (paper titled ” New Materials”).
In a short period of time this work has led me to be invited to a number of networks as well as being a founder member and contributor to the materials library at Kings college London. The main focus of this work is to establish new and sustainable ways for artists and designers to understand and experiment with new and emerging materials. To invent new methods of production for some of these materials so as to make them safer and easier to work with. To co-create a materials library for the creative industries in the UK, particularly to enable artists, designers architects, etc to have access to materials as they emerge rather than when they are available in the distant future.

Selected publications

Conreen, M., Miodownik, M., and Laughlin, Z., “Materials Library Presents: Tate Modern’s Rehang”, Tate Modern, Levels 3 and 5, Mondays 6-27 November 2006. Four installations and live presentations/performances commissioned by Tate modern. Catalogue available through Materials Library. Copy of catalogue in Tate Modern archives.
Filmed by Federico Ambiel, Lilthwork production available through Materials Library
Film by Tate Modern “Tate shots” material Library group, Tate Modern archive. Short edited excerpt viewable at
www.tate.org.uk/modern/tours/materialslibrary/

Collection -Materials Library
Conreen, M., Miodownik, M., and Laughlin, Z., 2005.
www.materialslibrary.org.uk/index.htm

Conreen, M., Miodownik, M., and Laughlin, Z, (2007), ‘What Can The Matter Be?’ published by Tate Modern April 2007
MP3 Audio tour/Down-loadable pod cast commissioned by Tate modern
www.tate.org.uk/modern/tours/materialslibrary/
Also downloadable from ITunes- Arts Podcast
Launch event ‘The Sound of Materials’ 13th April 2007 recorded by Tate modern and available as MP3 download
www.tate.org.uk/onlineevents/podcast/

Conreen, M., Miodownik, M., and Laughlin, Z.,” Flesh”, Exhibition curated and presented by Conreen M., Miodownik M and Laughlin Z., 9th November 2007.
www.wellcomecollection.org/exhibitionsandevents/events/index.htm