Chemistry is both a science of transformation and a structure of control. It governs the materials that shape our world—through bonds forged between atoms, and through policies, patents, and industrial standards. Its industry supports countless others, from agriculture to automotive, from textiles to tech. At the same time, the sector is weighed down by stigma—often perceived as a polluting, extractive force—when it is foundational to modern life. But in Romania, the chemical sector also reveals a system in crisis: fragmented infrastructure, underused expertise, and limited space for innovation.
`Chemical Bonds` exhibition confronts this tension. It asks what kinds of design practices are possible when access is restricted, when knowledge is siloed, and when an entire industry operates at the thresholds of visibility. Designers, researchers, companies, and institutions come together to trace how material, labour, and expertise circulate—or stall—across the chemical landscape.