Impact7, Day 2, Art & Science


John Pusateri talked about his biosecurity project, called Fallen,
in which he collaborated with scientists to investigate
the insects he collected and documented.

John Pusateri, from the Fallen Series, 2011

 The synergy of art & science has proved fertile ground for both artists and scientists alike.
John talked about Fallen, a collaborative, ecological study based in Auckland,
methodically sampling plant, invertebrate and bird diversity,
and the impact and implications this has had on the fine art image-making process.

This sampling took place over a period of 13 months 
involving a fine artist, a botanist, entomologist and an ecologist. 
It has thus far resulted in: two fine art exhibitions of photographs and drawings; 
Fallen, a catalogue published by Rim Books in 2008; 
a submission of a paper to a scientific journal on ground-living beetle diversity; 
and an uncovering of several invertebrate species new to science. 

This might make a great project for art & science for school students.
More Images from this project can be found on John’s website.


Gerald Hushlak
Unique Digital Print
Also in the afternoon session was a presentation about artist Gerald Hushlak (CAN)
titled “The Digital Print Shop: Artist and Computer as Co-Creator”,
where he has formulated computer programmes that works out aesthetics
and makes printed ‘drawings’, termed 'breeder art',
each one is unique but made by a process of repetition and mirroring.

High resolution images paired with computer manipulation, 
digital printing processes and on-line dissemination platforms 
provides the artist with unprecedented opportunities for the creation of 'printed' images. 
Add to this the ability afforded by digital environments 
to automate image creation and questions arise: 
Where is the artwork situated in this context? What is the role of the artist?

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