- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Coordinators of the exhibit are Natalie Nelson, director and curator of the Pence Gallery; and UC Davis professor of entomology and artist Diane Ullman, co-founder and co-director of the UC Davis Art Science/Fusion Program.
The work of 17 artists from a field of 85 worldwide artists are featured in the exhibit, which opened Jan. 26 and continues through March 2. The jurors--Jiayi Young, UC Davis assistant professor of design and Helen Donis-Keller, professor of biology and art at Olin College of Engineering, Mass.—will present the awards at the Feb. 9th reception at 8 p.m.
The exhibit includes installations, video, 2D and 3D work by contemporary artists in the United States and abroad who are exploring themes in both fields of art and science. Selected artists, who range from Davis to Spain, are Omar Armendariz, Kenna Doeringer, Tamren Dong, Annette Goodfriend, Belinda Hanson, Joe Hedges, Allison Leigh Holt, Rickie Jacobs, Stephen Kaltenbach, Pantea Karimi, Alexandra Knie, Robert Krawczyk, Chris Santa Maria, Gail Morrison, Jennifer E. Padilla, Melinda K. P. Stees, and Daniel Tran.
English polymath, scientist, Anglican priest, philosopher, theologian, and historian of science William Whewell (1794-1866) coined the term "consilience" in 1840. “Consilience is the linking together of facts and principles from different disciplines to form a broad, comprehensive theory that spans the realms of knowledge,” Whewell said. American biologist, researcher, theorist, naturalist and author E. O. Wilson brought consilience into the modern lexicon with his acclaimed book, “Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge.”
The goals of the exhibition, as announced last December, are three-fold: to show creative work that explores the intersection between art and science; to foster communication between the arts and sciences, and to spark new ways of viewing the world and ourselves, the organizers said.
Art juror Jiayi Young holds a master's degree in fine arts (multimedia and painting) from Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.; a master of science in atomic physics from Kansas State University, Manhattan; and a bachelor's degree in fine arts and physics, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisc. She works in the field of digital media with an emphasis on the cross-disciplinary areas of design, integrating art and science with cutting edge technology. Young focuses her current creative work on constructing data-driven interfaces, installations, real-time projection graphics, and performances in public and cultural places.
Donis-Keller, who integrates the fields of art and biology, holds a master of fine arts in Studio Art from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Tufts University, and a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from Harvard University. She says an appreciation for the natural world from the molecular level to the biosphere drives her art.
The exhibit is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday through March 2. Further information on the show is available from Nelson at (530) 758-3370 or penceartdirector@sbcglobal.net.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The entry deadline is 5 p.m., Dec. 15, announced entomologist-artist Diane Ullman, UC Davis professor of entomology and co-founder and co-director of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program. Artists selected will show their work in the Pence Gallery from Jan. 26-March 2.
The goals of the exhibition are three-fold: to show creative work that explores the intersection between art and science; to foster communication between the arts and sciences, and to spark new ways of viewing the world and ourselves, according to Ullman and Pence Gallery director Natalie Nelson. The organizers encourage "creative work that transcends pure scientific illustration to explore the conceptional realm where art and science both reside."
All artists and scientists, regardless of residence, can exhibit up to three works. This refers to original 2D and 3D work in any medium, related to the intersection between art and science. It encompasses photography, drawing, textiles, painting, sculpture, video and mixed media. Dimension restriction is at the discretion of the jurors.
Artists will upload their submissions online at http://www.pencegallery.org. A vital part of the submission is the artist's statement--not to exceed 100 words--which should clearly explain how the work relates to the art/science connection. The statement may be displayed with the accepted work. Work must be available for the entire run of the exhibit.
To enter, access http://www.pencegallery.org and click on "Call to Artists" to apply directly to the site. Entry fees are $35 and $40, respectively, for Pence and non-Pence members. Fees will be used for expenses and awards related to the exhibition. No hand-delivered art work will be accepted. Accepted work may be hand-delivered or shipped and insured by the artist to the Pence Gallery, 212 D St., Davis, CA 95616.
Jurors are Jiayi Young, a UC Davis assistant professor of design, and Helen Donis-Keller, Ph.D., the Michael E. Moody Professor of Biology and Art at Olin College of Engineering, Needham, Mass. Both Young and Keller have exhibited nationally and internationally, fusing art with science.
Young holds a master's degree in fine arts (multimedia and painting) from Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.; a master of science in atomic physics from Kansas State University, Manhattan; and a bachelor's degree in fine arts and physics, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisc. She works in the field of digital media with an emphasis on the cross-disciplinary areas of design, integrating art and science with cutting edge technology.
Keller who integrates the fields of art and biology, holds a master of fine arts in Studio Art from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Tufts University, and a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from Harvard University.
The Consilience exhibit will be displayed in the Pence's Main Gallery's glass tower lit space, measuring 1000 square feet with 12-foot ceilings. The Pence, established in 1975, is a non-profit art gallery. Its mission is to educate and inspire the community by exhibiting high caliber art by local and regional artists, according to director Natalie Nelson.
The calendar:
Dec. 15: Entry deadline online by 5 p.m.
Dec. 28: Notification via email
Jan. 19-20: Drop off between 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., or deadline for shipping arrival
Jan. 26-March 2: Exhibit dates
Feb. 9: Reception from 6 to 9 p.m.,with awards ceremony at 8
March 3-4: Pick up work, 12 to 4:30 p.m.
Sales are encouraged. The Pence Gallery will retain a 50 percent commission on work displayed at the exhibit.
For more information on the exhibit, contact Nelson at (530)-758-3370 or penceartdirector@sbcglobal.net
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
A reception (free admission and open to the public) will take place Friday, Feb. 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening will include juror talks from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m., and an awards presentation at 7:30. This is the fourth biannual multi-media display of the artists' work.
Sharon Bladholm, a Chicago-based sculptor and Shih-Wen Young, a Sacramento physicist and installation artist, juried the show. Bladholm will speak from 5:15 to 6 p.m. and Young from 6 to 6:45 p.m.
“Sharon Bladholm has pursued her artistic vision through the steady acquisition and command of a variety of disciplines, including cast glass, bronze, and ceramic in the sculptural realm, as well as stained glass, printmaking and works on paper,” according to her website. “The recurring theme in Bladholm's work is the interface of people with the natural world, integrating the sciences of anthropology with biology and botany from the plant world.”
Her website indicates that she has "participated on expeditions with the Field Museum, Conservation International and Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program to the Brazilian, Venezuelan and Peruvian Amazon, documenting the life ways of the Yanomami people through her art, and exploring conservation of endangered plant and animal species in isolated communities."
Young will speak from 6 to 6:45 p.m. about the selection of the work for the current show. He is a professor in the physics department of American River College, Sacramento. He and his wife, a new faculty member in the UC Davis Design Department, have created art/science connections for years. For one of their major shows, "One Moment in Time," they explored sound. Of that art, Young writes on a web page: "Sound is a unique quality Earth possesses. Our planet wouldn't be what it is today without sound. However, moment after moment, sound is generated, then disappears like the ocean waves crashing onto the shore and parishes without a trace. If you could see sound and capture the image, what would sound look like? We use the physics of sound propagation to calculate and visually map sound using our innovative real-time, 3D, sound visualization model." (See images)
The show includes the work of local favorites as well as artists throughout the country. Among the local artists is Anna Davidson, who recently received her doctorate at UC Davis in the Department of Plant Sciences and is now studying for her master of fine arts degree. She organizes the UC Davis LASER (Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous) events.
The Pence Gallery is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays. For further information on the show, contact the Pence Gallery at (530) 758-3370.