The play “K:lebt!”, which is being billed as an immersive interactive happening for children and young people, addresses the conditions for social cohesion. The goal of bringing human life into harmony with all organisms on this planet is a driving force behind both research and the artistic exploration of the topic.

The music of artist and composer Alex Paxton is the connective link at the artistic level. In his compositions, he seemingly playfully brings together widely disparate instrumental techniques. The Greek-German director Sofia Simitzis is a specialist for immersive world premieres in music theater. In collaboration with Eva Lochner, an expert in organic materials, they merge the audience and the performers to create large-scale images.

With their expertise on the subject of bio-based adhesives, the researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI were a source of inspiration for the play. In it, adhesives are viewed as a metaphorical binding agent for society. On the stage, not only “human polymer coils” can be seen, but also insect larvae, which serve as the starting material for the researchers’ current research.

“A major goal of our work at the Fraunhofer WKI is to promote the responsible handling of our planet’s resources. Bio-based adhesives are a key technology in joining materials and conserving finite resources. As a result of our research, products for the construction, furniture and transportation sectors are becoming more ecological and more recyclable. We are delighted that this topic is now being presented to a wide audience in a creative way – and perhaps triggering important discussions,” reported Dr. Henrik-Alexander Christ.