Anna Dumitriu exploring how biomaterials and augmented reality can impact sustainability and the circular economy in the wine industry as part of the Better Factory: Internet of Art and Wine (IoWA). Dumitriu will create mycelium sculptures, bio-textiles using kombucha and bio-papers from wine waste, and is also working with experts in the field of bio-cellulose foam and will bring her own extensive expertise in working with microbiology to the project. She will also share the story of the wine circular economy through an augmented reality artwork.

Dumitriu is creating a strategy for using wine waste to ‘grow’ sculptures from mycelium using bespoke moulds which are both a functional means of protecting valuable wines and artworks in their own right. These special edition packages will take the form of numbered collectable artworks and will integrate with a biodegradable e-label that communicates the story of the artworks and the importance of the circular economy through the recycling of low value waste products.



The artworks will be inspired by photogrammetry scans from the winery, stories of the history of wine in Italy, as well as the future of wine and the new technologies being developed by the technology team such as their innovative IoT (Internet of Things) Cork sensor.
Outcomes
An interview with the Better Factory: Internet of Art and Wine (IoWA) team by Charlotte Tucker from Better Factory was published in July 2023. Read it here.


The Collaboration
The Internet of Art and Wine (IoWA) knowledge transfer experiment team is led by Marco Felluga Wines in Italy and a collaboration with the technology company BUBAMARA (Serbia) and artist Anna Dumitriu. The project is supported by Better Factory as part of the EU S+T+ARTS programme. Anna Dumitriu is also collaborating with digital artist Alex May and scientist Gary Cass. The project will run until September 2024.


Funding
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 951813.
