EAT: Transformative Seeds | 2024

Commercial project
Commissioned by: DesignSingapore Council
Curator: Fang Hu
Curatorial Team: Yue Liu, Shijia Huang, Xijing Xu and Yongxin Lai
Exhibition Design: Yuyu Fu
Illustration: Xiaodi Wang
Logistics: Haixing Fan
Volunteers Kexin Zhao, Xuanzi Zhang, Wantian Wu
Photo credits: Fang Hu

EAT: Transformative Seeds is a food design exhibition revolving around seeds as a central theme, organized by Atelier Fang. The exhibition explores three main areas: culinary transformation and consumption, the propagation and migration of seeds, and the innovative use of food materials. Featuring works from ten countries, it ran from 26th September to 10th November 2024 at the National Design Centre in Singapore.

The exhibition has been divided into five sections:

POP POWER showcases the simplest and oldest methods of creative transformation with seeds. As a representative starting point, the first part of the showcase highlights the cultural significance of seeds from the perspective of taste, sound, and tool design through interactive experiences, products, and kinetic installations.

A BITE OF SEEDS mirrors the beauty of nature and the development of human civilization. Discover the narratives of seed wandering, migration, and evolution through works developed to detail these stories in the context of history.

SEEDING BEYOND captures the fervor of designers as they venture into the realm of food materials. Inspired by ancient cooking techniques, they redefine food's purpose, transforming it into practical objects. This innovative approach, seen through a laboratory lens, expands food usage beyond nourishment, creating everyday items with a touch of ingenuity.

To celebrate and highlight the contributions of remarkable individuals in the world of Food and Design, we present SEEDS OF VISION, a special chapter that reflects on the role of seeds. Finally, at the end of the exhibition, visitors can explore the READING CORNER, which offers recipes and books related to Food and Design, covering topics such as politics, culture, material, science, urbanism and community.

EAT: Transformative Seeds is part of the People of Design Showcase Series, a key event of Singapore Design Week 2024 curated by Hans Tan together with a team of designer-curators. Ten showcases presented across the Bras Basah.Bugis Design District creatively examine the rituals of daily life through the lens of design, where each showcase delves into a specific activity such as Eat, Sleep, Shop, Read, Heal, Make, Plant, Commute, Display and Design. Through new works and collaborative projects, visitors will discover imaginative design possibilities shaped to offer fresh perspectives on the world around us, inspiring new ways of thinking, seeing, and experiencing daily life.