Better Factory: IoWA

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.

Dried SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) bacterial cellulose grown from spoiled wine and kombucha

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.

Mycelium experiment stabilised by baking
SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) bacterial cellulose grown from spoiled wine and kombucha
SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) bacterial cellulose grown from spoiled wine and kombucha

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 special soil at Marco Felluga’s Russiz Superiore winery
Vintage wines covered with “cellar cloth” mould Marco Felluga’s Russiz Superiore winery

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.

A budding grape vine at Marco Felluga’s Russiz Superiore winery
Wine aging in oak barrels at Marco Felluga winery

Funding

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