Imag(in)ing

Festival of Other Arts, Workshop Arts Centre, Feb – March 2018

“Imagining is at the heart of what artists and scientists do. They imagine what might exist, and what already exists that has yet to be discovered. The artist’s studio and the scientist’s laboratory are two of the rare places left for open-ended inquiry. In these spaces the big questions are addressed: “What is true? How can I improve my world by what I discover, what I create, and what I do?”

“In this exhibition, scientific images of breathtaking beauty and technical refinement have been handed over to twelve artists who have imagined them into being in a completely new way in the form of sculptures, paintings, cyanotype prints, digital photographs, videos and tailor made optical devices.
– Jane Theau, Curator

I chose to work with the electron microscopic image of a thyme leaf, magnified approximately 700 times, taken by scientists Roger Heady from the Australian National University.

My installation consisted of 48 panels of raw unfired clay and food colour each the size of the 2D image 30 x 30 cm.  The scent of thyme leaf essence infiltrated the space, reminding the visitors that we need to experience the world in many ways.

This project was held in conjunction with Art Month and received funding from Willoughby City Council.