Graphene, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

Wonder Materials: Graphene And Beyond explores the contradictions presented by this amazing new material – graphene is incredibly strong, yet cannot be held; it promises massive impacts across entire industries but its key properties are only understood at an invisible scale; touted as a new wonder material, it has only found mundane applications in the decade since it was isolated; while graphene is the headline grabber, other 2D crystals may provide more game-changing applications. I worked with the team at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and Manchester University to develop a content and interpretation strategy which made a virtue of and capitalised on the contradictions to create tension and audience appeal. The project includes an art commission from Random International.