As a practice-led researcher Zane Berzina works across the boundaries of textiles, electronics and theory with a main focus on the design and production processes. She creatively synthesizes artistic and scientific approaches and cultures through her work in order to produce physical artefacts and proposals for interactive and sensory environments. Through her practice-led research work she attempts to bridge the gap between the aesthetics and technology, and explores the potential and questions the advances in technology and materials science offer, giving visual, material and conceptual form to these changes.

The two largest research projects conceived and executed by Zane Berzina in collaboration with various specialists are E-Static Shadows and Skinstories :: Charting and Mapping the Skin.

As an expert Zane has been contributing to a range of international research projects and she is also collaborating widely with various research and academic institutes, design companies, creative initiatives and businesses.

A LIST OF THE MAIN COLLABORATION PARTNERS_______________

• Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, College of Engineering, University of Michigan, USA
• Computing Department, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
• Constance Howard Resource and Research Centre in Textiles, UK
• Cornelius Group, UK
• Création Baumann, Switzerland
• Department of Materials, Queen Mary University, London, UK
• Fraunhofer Institute, Division for Synthesis Technology and Polymer Engineering, Germany
• Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration, IZM, Germany
• Freie Universitat Berlin, Institute for Biology and Zoology, Germany
• in square Lab, London, UK
• Materials Library, Kings College, UK
• OSRAM Opto Semiconductors
• Science Museum's Dana Centre in London, UK
• Strigl + Kramm Architects, Germany
• TITV, Textile Research Institute Thuringia-Vogtland, Germany

   

PAPER CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS
AND CONFERENCES_________________________________

2010___                       
Potenziale für HighTech-Textilien
TITV Annual Conference
Paper: 'Is This Textiles? - An Overview Of Some Non-Conventional Smart Textile Development Strategies'

Social Street - the 7th Urban and Landscape Days
Key-note speaker
Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn, Estonia

2009___                 
ISEA '09 - International Symposium on Electronic Art
University of Ulster, North Ireland.
Paper: 'E-Static Shadows - an Interactive E-Textile Membrane'.

2008___ 
Ambience 08
The Swedish School of Textiles, University College of Borås, Sweden and the Tampere University of Technology, Finland.
Paper: 'E-Static Shadows'

The Challenge of Smart Textiles
Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia.
Key-note speaker. Paper: 'Science Fiction or Future?'

2007___               
Touch, Textiles, Technology: Collaborations Across Europe
Constance Howard Resource and Research Centre in Textiles, Goldsmiths,University of London.
Key-note speaker. Paper: 'Touch, Textiles, Technology - Collaborative Practice'

2006___                 
Textile Narratives + Conversations
Textile Society of America, Toronto, Canada.
Paper: 'Designing for Future Textiles - Challenges of Hybrid Practices'

2005___                
Emergent Systems, Cognitive Environments
Society for Literature, Science and Arts, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
Paper: 'Skin Stories :: Charting and Mapping the Skin'

Re:search In and Through the Arts
University of the Arts Berlin, Germany
Paper: 'Skin as a Material and Metaphor in Design-led Research'

Wearable Futures: Hybrid Culture in the Design and Development of Soft Technology
University of Wales, UK
Paper: 'Charting and Mapping the Skin'

2004___                
Tradition & Innovation
Textiles Society, London
Paper: 'Charting and Mapping the Skin'

Creativity: Designer Meets Technology
Philadelphia University, USA.
Paper: 'Development and Outcomes of Interactive Textile Design Concept Based on Living Skin 'Technology''

2003___                
Material_Vision
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Poster presentation 'Skin Stories :: Charting and Mapping the Skin'

The Annual Latvian Welfare Fund Meeting
Latvian Welfare Fund, London
Paper: 'Development of the Professional Latvian Textile Art'

2002___                 
Paris Study Experiences
Premiere Vision, Paris, France
Paper: 'Textile Design Practice - A Personal Reflection'

Research Symposium
London Institute, UK
Paper: 'Skin Stories - Work in Progress'

2001___     
Tradition and Innovation
The 11th European Textile Network Conference
Paper: 'Textile Design Education at The University of Arts in Berlin (UdK), Germany, Presentation of the European MA Programme and the 'Bio-mimetic' Project'