Brussels-based Designer Ori Orisun Merhav is pioneering a remarkable transformation of natural polymers into captivating sculptures. Utilizing the resin meticulously crafted by tiny lac insects, Merhav’s glowing creations redefine the boundaries of material use. Her research practice, “Made by Insects,” explores innovative techniques, heating and blowing amber-colored shellac into translucent bubbles that form intricate chandeliers and furniture. The creations offer an incredible blend of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge design.
Her research journey paved the way for a 2026 Dutch Design Award, celebrating her experimental approach to material production. This innovative use of shellac, traditionally a protective coating, signals a new era of design possibility, clearly demonstrated by her visionary sculptures.
Berkeley’s Pavilion provides an intriguing view on nature-inspired design, much like Merhav’s shellac innovations. Infinite Grove’s nature reflection offers another look at ecological design aesthetics.
The Tiny Architects Behind Her Works
The Kerria lacca insects, minute creatures no bigger than grains of sand, are vital to Merhav’s material fabrication. They cling to host trees, converting sap sugars into a hardening resin that envelops them during development. This resinous layer is refined into shellac, a material with historical usage in furniture and finishing applications. This natural process is a significant aspect of the impactful designs.
Merhav’s intrigue with these insects began during her studies at Design Academy Eindhoven, leading her to Thailand to engage with lac cultivators. Her findings culminated in her 2022 graduation project, The Lac Lab Open Source, which evolved into her ongoing work with Made by Insects. This project reflects the economic and ecological intricacies of shellac production amid rising synthetic alternatives.
Innovating with Insect Wisdom
Back in her studio, Merhav explored shellac’s potential beyond conventional applications. Employing glassmaking techniques, she manipulated the material, forming delicate, hollow constructs. Observing the insects’ multi-cellular protective structures, she shifted to smaller, interconnected forms, inspiring works like Branching Insects Chandelier and Meet Me Under the Insects Tree. These pieces simulate botanical aesthetics, yet their foundations trace back to insect ingenuity. The insect design principles are evident in her works, emphasizing the alignment with natural forms present in these sculptures.
Pioneering 3D Printed Shellac
Merhav, alongside Ginger Additive, Reflexlab, and Aeditto, has expanded into digital fabrication, creating 3D-printed objects without chemical alteration. Collaborating with material engineer Tom Samson and the Bio-Polymer Lab at Avans University, she’s advancing these processes. Her Morphopoiesis series showcases irregular forms with complex, cellular structures, adding to the stunning collection of natural polymer art.
A Multi-Sensory Exhibit in London
At Sarah Myerscough Gallery, the installation Portal Into The Multi-Species invites visitors through a realm of delicate resin bubbles on steel branches. The pieces, including The Woven Insect Canopy and Awakening, highlight palm sheaths coated in shellac, revealing interwoven surfaces.
Rethinking Material Relationships
Merhav’s work considers mutualism, highlighting connections among lac insects, host trees, and human cultivators. Each sculpture embodies this complex relationship, urging a rethink of material production influenced by ecological cycles. Her lamps and vessels offer a tangible glimpse of an unusual manufacturing future where design draws from nature’s ingenious architectures, as evident in her innovative sculptures.
Her installations at Sarah Myerscough Gallery evoke the essence of interconnected systems in nature. Zumthor’s minimalist masterpiece also marries design with natural elements for inspiration.
Project info: Designer: Ori Orisun Merhav | @ori_orisun Research practice: Made by Insects
Sources & Links
Source: designboom.com
Frequently asked questions
What material does Ori Orisun Merhav use for her sculptures?
Ori Orisun Merhav uses shellac, a natural polymer crafted by tiny lac insects, to create her sculptures.
What is the focus of Merhav’s research practice?
Merhav’s research practice, ‘Made by Insects,’ focuses on exploring innovative techniques to transform shellac resin into various design creations.
How does Merhav incorporate insect wisdom in her designs?
Merhav incorporates insect wisdom by using glassmaking techniques to replicate the multi-cellular protective structures of insects, inspiring works that simulate botanical aesthetics.
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