Manufactured Ecosystems

Manufactured Ecosystems is an immersive exhibition that invites visitors to step into speculative futures where art, technology, and nature converge to address the climate crisis.

The exhibition will run at the University of Guelph’s Zavitz Gallery from June 23 to Aug. 7. The gallery is open Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, 1  to 4 p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Curated by a global team of artists, scientists, engineers, and writers, Manufactured Ecosystems features interactive installations, speculative prototypes, and imaginative storytelling that forecast how humanity might adapt to ecological collapse using nature-inspired technologies.

With contributions from researchers and creators across Canada (including Dr. Shoshanah Jacobs, Dr. Alex Smith, and PhD students Elizabeth Porter, Anibal Castillo and Dave Dowhaniuk), Germany, the U.S., Greece, Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago, the exhibition reflects the diverse expertise of a team committed to rethinking climate innovation. From speculative design to biomimicry and posthuman ethics, Manufactured Ecosystems explores the cultural, scientific, and aesthetic dimensions of survival in a radically altered world.

The exhibition is the public-facing centrepiece of an international research initiative supported by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund. 

For more information, visit manufacturedecosystems.com and the Zavitz Art Gallery.