MATERIAL BIASES
Material Biases (2018–present) is an ongoing series of condensed installations by Keeley Haftner that questions the assumption embedded in the word “material”—that matter exists for human use. Working almost exclusively with waste, Haftner creates intuitive sculptural installations composed of three parts: a Site (wall painting), an Object (support), and a Subject (central focus).
After completion, each work undergoes intensive chemical research, resulting in a comprehensive materials list that reveals the scientific composition of every component—from industrial adhesives to pigments and plastics. This process deepens Haftner’s understanding of the substances she is drawn to and often sparks new projects.
Material Bias in Memories (Alberto Aguilar), installed site-specifically for “Not a Soft Thing” at DCASE Chicago Cultural Center (2026)
—Photo by Robert Chase Heishman for Bob.
"Material Bias in Glass (Broken Bottles, Humboldt Park)," 43 x 43 x 7cm, 2021.
"Material Bias in Plastic (Stick)," 43 x 43 x 9cm, 2019. Polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), copper (Pthalo Green/Permanent Green Light), barium sulfate, cadmium sulfide, zinc sulfide, CU chloride doped (Cadmium Yellow Light), aluminium, chromium III, cobalt, tin (Cerulean Blue), aluminium hydroxide, amorphous silica, titanium dioxide (Titanium White) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (acrylic polymer emulsion), acetone, propane, butane, 2-methoxy-1-methylethyl acetate, hydrocarbons, isobutene, xylene, n-butyl acetate, ethylbenzene (clear spray varnish), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum (finishing nails), cellulose, hydrolyzed collagen (cotton rag paper), chromium III (Viridian Green), crystalline silica, iron oxide (Burnt Sienna), cadmium sulphide (Cadmium Yellow Lemon) + arabinonic acid (gum arabic) […]
Material Bias in Glass (Stone) 43 x 43 x 7cm 2018. Silicon dioxide, sodium oxide, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide (bottle glass), polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum (finishing nails), polystyrene, cellulose, kaolin (foamcore), cellulose, polyvinyl chloride (wallpaper), methylcellulose, glucose (wallpaper glue), methyl ethyl ketone, methylcyclohexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, abietic acid (contact cement), silica, acrylic, urethane, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone (water-based exterior wood filler), copper (Permanent Green Light) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (fluid acrylic), polyvinyl acrylic, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, calcium-magnesium carbonate, benzisothiazole (latex paint), aluminium hydroxide, amorphous silica, titanium dioxide (Titanium White) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (acrylic polymer emulsion) […]
"Material Bias in Plastic (Pearl)," 43 x 43 x 8cm, 2019. Polystyrene resin, either 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1-difluoroethane, or 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane, hexabromocyclododecane, talc, and either iron(III) oxide or quinacridone (XPS insulation foam sheets), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (#9 ABS plastic), polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum (finishing nails), polyethylene, polypropylene, latex, formaldehyde, perfluorooctanoic acid (olefin carpet), naphtha, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, colophony, n-hexane, zinc oxide, butylated p-cresol/dicyclopentadiene (montage kit adhesive), acetone, n-butyl acetate, propane, 2-methoxy-1-methylethyl acetate, butane, isobutene, butan-1-ol, nitrocellulose, propan-2-ol (black acrylic spray lacquer), carbon, iron oxide (Mars Black) manganese (Quinacridone Red), carbazole dioxazine (Dioxazine Purple), aluminium hydroxide, amorphous silica, titanium dioxide (Titanium White) […]
"Material Bias in Plastic (Voronoi)," 43 x 43 x 9cm, 2018. Polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum (finishing nails), alpha cellulose, sulfur, iron, alkyl ketene dimer, lignin, carbon (museum board), cellulose, polyester, carbon, urethane, methylpyrrolidone, triethylamine (velour paper), acetone, hexane, propane, butane, heptane, aliphatic hydrocarbon, cyclohexane, toluene, cyclopentane (spray adhesive), methyl ethyl ketone, methylcyclohexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, abietic acid (contact cement), silica, acrylic, urethane, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone (water-based exterior filler), aluminium oxide, mica (Pearl Silver) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (fluid acrylic), aluminium hydroxide, amorphous silica, copper, titanium dioxide, (Ultramarine Blue), titanium dioxide (Titanium White) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (acrylic polymer emulsion) […]
"Material Bias in Glass (Quadruple Object)," 43 x 43 x 7cm, 2018. Silicon dioxide, sodium oxide, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide (bottle glass), polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum (finishing nails), carbon, iron oxide (Mars Black) manganese (Quinacridone Red) barium sulfate, cadmium sulfide, zinc sulfide, CU chloride doped (Cadmium Yellow Middle) copper (Pthalo Blue) crystalline silica, iron oxide (Yellow Ochre) aluminium hydroxide, amorphous silica, titanium dioxide (Titanium White) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (acrylic polymer emulsion), polymethyl acrylate, formaldehyde (water-based wood lacquer), cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, urea-formaldehyde (plywood), iron, carbon, manganese, silicon, copper, chromium (screws/keyhole hanger), xylene, toluene, urethane resin (permanent marker).
"Material Bias in Plaster (Konstverktyg)," 43 x 43 x 7cm, 2020. Calcium sulfate hemihydrate (plaster of Paris), polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), methyl ethyl ketone, methylcyclohexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, abietic acid (contact cement), dicarboxylic acid + diamine, polyester, polyacrylonitrile (industrial felt), ethylene-vinyl acetate, terpene, phenol (hot glue), tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum (finishing nails), polyvinyl acetate (wood glue), carbon, dihydrogen monoxide (India Ink), polyvinyl acrylic, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, calcium-magnesium carbonate, benzisothiazole (white latex paint), crystalline silica (Primary Yellow), barium sulfate, cadmium sulfide, cadmium selenide (Cadmium Red Middle), crystalline silica, iron oxide (Burnt Sienna), carbon, iron oxide (Mars Black) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (acrylic polymer emulsion) […]
"Material Bias in Copper (Nostalgia)," 43 x 43 x 7cm, 2019. Copper (copper sheet metal), polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), crystalline silica, iron oxide (Yellow Ochre) + ammonium hydroxide, propylene glycol (fluid acrylic), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), copper (copper finishing nails), copper phthalocyanine, quinacridone, xanthophylls, carbon (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black dyes) + cellulose, polyethylene (glossy photographs), biaxially-oriented polypropylene, + butyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, and/or methyl methacrylate, + silicone, vinyl carbamates, and/or stearato chromic chloride (glossy Scotch tape), polyvinyl chloride, polyisoprene and/or styrene-butadiene rubber, hydrocarbon resin and/or hydrogenated rosin ester, naphthenic oil and/or polybutene, calcium carbonate and/or kaolin, phenolic antioxidant, zinc oxide and/or sulfur, phthalocyanine green, titanium dioxide (vinyl painter’s tape) […]
"Material Bias in Plaster (Stones)," 43 x 43 x 7cm, 2018. Calcium sulfate hemihydrate (plaster of Paris), polylactic acid (#7 PLA plastic), ethyl cyanoacrylate (instant CA adhesive), tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum (finishing nails), polyester, cellulose + any of the following elastomers: acrylate, butyl rubber, ethylene-vinyl acetate, trimethyl silane, silicon tetracholoride, styrene, cumarone-indene, a-methyl styrene, vinyl toluene, hydrocarbon, aliphatic olefin, rosin ester, polyterpene, terpene phenolic, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, vinyl ether (Photo Tex repositionable fabric), calcium-magnesium carbonate, benzisothiazole (latex paint), methyl ethyl ketone, methylcyclohexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, abietic acid (contact cement), silica, acrylic, urethane, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone (water-based exterior wood filler), graphite, sodium bentonite (pencil), aluminium oxide, mica (Pearl Silver) […]
brings together a series of collaborative Material Biases. For this iteration, four local artists—Alberto Aguilar, Arnold J. Kemp, Laura Shaeffer, and Lisa Walcott—were invited to contribute a Subject for new Objects conceived by Haftner with each artist in mind.