Friend and Faux

We have just opened our latest exhibition Friend and faux, which explores both the historical and contemporary use of plastics materials in replacing animal products.

Right from the beginning of the story of man-made plastics, this material group has been used to imitate the natural world. Because plastics have no intrinsic colour, form or texture, they can be made to replicate precious and expensive materials such as ivory and tortoiseshell, both looking and feeling like the ‘real’ thing, but at a fraction of the cost.

As a consequence, plastics have played a positive role in the conservation of both wild and farmed animal populations. They have also had an impact on conserving resources such as energy and water, with manufacturing methods often providing a lower environmental impact than that needed to process the natural materials they are seeking to emulate.

Left to right, AIBDC : 008788 and 008815
Image credit: Katherine Pell

One of my favourite objects from this exhibition is this CC41 Utility slip in Celanese (cellulose acetate). Dated to 1942-1952, it is a good example of a synthetic silk and was widely available throughout that period of austerity when real silk was in short supply. Other examples of artificial silk on display include the sports hijab, which can be seen in the bottom, right corner of the image above. Made of a Tencel/polyester/elastane mix, Tencel is a brand name for Lyocell, first developed in the 1970s, that uses a more sustainable way of producing wood-based semi-synthetic fibres with non-toxic chemicals that are recovered and reused.

Left to right: AIBDC : 006045 and 008798, PHSL : 258
Imager credit: Katherine Pell and MoDiP 

I also love the embossed detail in this M&S bag which imitates the colour and texture of snakeskin. It is made from polyurethane and offers a way to respond to fast changing fashion trends in a more accessible and considerate way. It looks very realistic and the graduated size of the ‘scales’ provides a convincing, cruelty-free copy. It is displayed alongside some examples of real skin objects, for comparison, as well as other synthetic imitations such as the Pinguin K55 radio and the umbrella handle.

The Islander Uke, AIBDC : 007874.1
Imager credit: Katherine Pell

This ukulele, designed and developed by Mario Maccaferri in 1959, was extremely popular in 1960s America (more than nine million were sold throughout that decade). The Islander Uke uses DuPont nylon strings that were first introduced in 1948, providing an effective alternative to catgut which would have been traditionally used. Gut strings produce a warm, rich tone but are expensive and affected by changes in humidity. To counter this, Maccaferri launched his instrument at a trade show, displayed in a water-filled glass case to demonstrate how the polystyrene body and nylon strings were unaffected by moisture!

Left: AIBDC : 008819, right: AIBDC : 008818
Imager credit: Katherine Pell

These objects illustrate two different approaches to the problem of how to replicate a feather. The t-shirt on the left hints at the concept by using a translucent polyester material that has been cut into feather shapes, each then having a silver vein printed down the centre. It certainly conveys the appearance of feathers in movement. The dress on the right mimics ostrich feathers using polyester again, but this time as a shiny yarn with each ‘feather’ consisting of a plaited core from which individual threads have been teased out, at interval, to protrude and drape downwards. It provides a great texture and is very tactile.

Cooper desert boots, AIBDC : 008812
Imager credit: Katherine Pell

These lace-up boots are made from a vegan leather called AppleSkin™, a bio-based alternative made with waste recovered from the fruit juice industry. Essentially, leftover peel and pulp is dried and ground into a powder which is then mixed with pigments and binding agents. The mix is then spread out onto a canvas and dehydrated, resulting in the apple fibre drying into a leather-like sheet. Finally, this is combined with polyurethane and coated onto a polyester/cotton backing to create a very soft and supple material. There are also some samples of Pinatex on display in the same case, made from the waste leaves of the pineapple plant mixed with polylactic acid and, again, polyurethane.

The Friend and faux exhibition is open until 11^th March 2022 and does contain some objects and descriptions which some may find distressing.

Plan your visit

Katherine Pell
Collections Officer