self-initiated

Gene Machine – Chance for Information

Gene Machine

There is a discrepancy between the realities of crop breeding today and the image people have of it. Being the daughter of a cauliflower breeder, designer Mies Loogman saw an opportunity to inform the public in a fun way. Users can play the slot machine by pressing the button. If the screen ends on three matching images, the machine prints a receipt that can be exchanged for a fun card with useful information broken down in easily digestible chunks. Loogman sees her machine as a methodology that can be used to open up a range of topics from different perspectives.

The first edition is about genetic modification and sustainable agriculture. The so called ‘Gene Machine’ is situated on festivals and fairs to reach a wide audience. These festivals and fairs do not have to be specifically related to food nor design, but can be. The project is fully developed with an additional research book to back up the information provided. The next step is to integrate this information into an online platform as well as a mobile application to not only be dependent on the audience of festivals and fairs but reach an even more wide audience and make the information more accessible.

Listen here to the radio broadcast from November 1st 2019 of NPO Focus about the Gene Machine at InScience Film Festival.

This project is supported by Stichting Cultuur Eindhoven.