Athalia Lewartowski

Athalia Lewartowski’s final project, C’YBORG_ORGANISM, explores the interconnectedness of our contemporary world. Using the concept of a cybernetic organism as a metaphor, the project encourages a rethinking of identity and our place within an ever-evolving landscape. It presents a dual vision: a cybernetic organism that disrupts primordial unity, challenges classifications, promotes chaos over control, and defines reality through coexistence—the present and the potential stranger. Technology introduces a paradoxical reality, creating a collision of worlds, ideologies and bodies that is both fruitful and threatening, forming a multifaceted fabric rich with loopholes and opportunities. Our world mirrors a military-industrial complex, where medicine risks creating emotionless clones while simultaneously cultivating hybrid identities that merge the natural with the technological.

Athalia’s work embodies a seamless integration of the organic and the technological, pushing the boundaries of fashion through the use of innovative materials and conceptual design. Her final project, C’YBORG_ORGANISM, delves into the idea of hybrid identities in an evolving technological landscape. Through a combination of traditional craftsmanship and advanced digital techniques, her work reflects the tension between control and chaos, nature and technology, offering a new vision of unity defined by coexistence rather than categorisation. The collection draws heavily from post humanist and cyborg theories, where the body becomes a dynamic interface between the organic and synthetic, the natural and mechanical.

One of the most prominent expressions of these ideas is the piece BUG, a richly textured work that captures the concept of disruption—both in nature and in technological systems. The embroidery on BUG represents the merging of the organic and mechanical worlds. Layers of metallic beads, hematite and Swarovski crystals mimic both the exoskeleton of an insect and the inner workings of machines. The design uses complex layers of these materials, creating a textured landscape that seems to crawl and develop across the surface of the garment like a living organism, while also simulating the technological systems and electrical components driving our modern world. The intricate embroidery gives the piece depth and complexity, while the dense stitching of beads, interwoven with crystals, creates a raised, three-dimensional pattern. Each element is meticulously placed to convey movement and life. The palette of metallic tones—ranging from gunmetal grey to silver—gives the work an industrial aesthetic, while the intricate craftsmanship keeps it grounded in traditional techniques. This fusion of materials transforms the garment into a sculptural piece, with each bead, stitch and crystal contributing to a larger narrative about the convergence of nature and technology.

Athalia’s collection celebrates the fusion of the foreign and the contradictory, challenging traditional classification and redefining unity as the coexistence of handcrafted natural materials like hematite and Swarovski crystals. This unique combination creates a tactile and visual experience that is both metallic and organic, reflecting the duality at the core of her work. By merging traditional embroidery techniques with cutting-edge materials, Athalia challenges conventional classifications, presenting a harmonious blend of handcrafted artistry and modern innovation. Each piece in the collection reflects her commitment to design excellence and her vision of a world where nature and technology coexist in perfect balance.