We took a look at some artistic practices working at the intersection of art and science, nature and technology.

A recent article in Monopol posed the question: ‘what can “climate art” achieve?’ In it, curator and art writer Raimar Stange posits that, while politicians remain largely inactive in the face of the climate emergency, art and culture can play a critical role in disseminating information, demanding accountability, and activating change.

From working with recycled materials to initiating public campaigns, there have, of course, been different artistic approaches in this field. One way artists and art organizations have been addressing the topic of environmental sustainability is by taking an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach — working at the intersection of art and science, nature and technology to reframe our relationship to the natural world. The Goethe-Institut, for example, launched the New Nature program in 2020, inviting artists and scientists across Canada, Germany, the United States and Mexico to engage on the topic of climate change and explore new approaches through immersive media. In the exhibition context, Mushrooms: The Art, Design, and Future of Fungi also took place last year at Somerset House in London, presenting artworks alongside upcycled and sustainable, fungi-based experiments in design, textiles and architecture.

There are also residency programs and artist initiatives specialized in material research and experimentation at the intersection of art and science. LABVA, for instance, is a biomaterials lab, communal kitchen and residency program in Valdivia, Chile. Organized by a team of designers, architects and biologists, LABVA takes a GIY (grow it yourself) and CIY (cook it yourself) approach to researching and developing biofibers and bioplastics from locally sourced organic materials and reused waste. And the Seaweed Appreciation Society International (SASi), initiated by artist Lichen Kelp, is an experimental platform for artistic research into seaweed and marine ecologies.

To take a closer look at some artistic practices in this area, we spoke to Hannah Fletcher, founder of The Sustainable Darkroom, and “moist media” collective Akyute, both of whom experiment and collaborate with plants and organic matter in practices that integrate science, art, nature and technology.

Η συνέχεια εδώ.