Maryland Institute
College of Art

Projects 2023

Mother Nacre

OVERALL WINNER

maddie olsen, finn yencken, sarah becker, lily xiao, orin noel, riley cox, starling wolfrum

Mother Nacre aims to change people’s relationship with plastic objects through the development of a Plastic Heirloom, which encases sentimental plastic objects in biomimetic nacre. Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is a coating that mollusks use to protect against irritants.

Rethinking Plastics

caelan mccollum, kester wong, tim eichwalkd, yiming ma, karina ye

Pestalotiopsis Microspora is a strain of fungi from the Amazon rainforest that has displayed the ability to consume plastics. This project demonstrates that P. microspora can be grown in the lab using waste plastic as its sole carbon source, and that it can be used to produce a bio-based leather substitute. This process creates a valuable material for consumer goods with a process that removes harmful plastics from the environment. Though producers of goods typically disregard cheaply produced plastic once it enters waste streams or the environment, this project seeks to reframe the capitalistic perspective on waste plastic as an abundant resource that is made available through collaboration with nature's great recyclers. 

Ryan Hoover is an artist and researcher operating at the intersection of digital fabrication, biological systems, and traditional crafts. His work explores the complex ethical implications of new technologies. He exhibits at museums and art centers internationally, and is the recipient of multiple grants and awards.

Hoover holds an MFA in interdisciplinary art from MICA's Mount Royal School and a dual BFA in Sculpture and Philosophy from UNC Asheville. As faculty in MICA's Interdisciplinary Sculpture department, he leads innovative classes in digital fabrication and other emerging technologies.