Plant / Art Workshop @ SCA

NMiCA SCA Workshop
Non-Human Perspectives in Art: Mine Site Rehabilitation / Plant Communication
Monday August 31, 12-3pm
SCA Board Room, Sydney College of the Arts, Rozelle
Lea Kannar-Lichtenberger (Sydney College of the Arts)
Penny Dunstan (University of Newcastle)
Each presentation included a participatory studio component.
Info: Andrew Lavery or Madeleine Boyd

Lea Kannar-Lichtenberger in the Plant/Art Lab

Penny Dunstan with Minesite rocks

Andrew Lavery and Saun O’Connell learning the wayfinding app

Penny Dunstan
Untangling futures for terraformed lands; using respectful wayfinding as a method of knowing.
There is an overwhelming problem to be examined in the Upper Hunter Valley; a problem so big and so important that people look away. It is the terraforming operation that occurs after open cut coal mining, called land ‘rehabilitation’. This is a process that takes waste rock, spared topsoil and collected seeds and tries to reconstitute land. Scientists and engineers examine only individual parts never bumping up against the whole; although privately they will say how much their understanding of the whole problem physically hurts their connection to land. An artist has no allegiance to the reductionist framework, nor scientific prejudice against feelings of belonging and loss that prevents the interrogation of the whole hurt. Penny has developed a relationship of trust with Rix’s Creek mine management that allows her unfettered access to walk in and work with rehabilitated land. Using both her training in agronomy and art, she is developing a series of theories about developing relationships with newly created land and producing art works to explore the essence of humans as creator.
Studio component:
Drawing with satellites. We explore recording journeys using a tracking app. Bring your smart phone.
Readings:
Lesley Instone, Walking as Respectful Wayfinding in an Uncertain Age
RhD conference abstract

Lea Kannar-Lichtenberger (Sydney College of the Arts)
Exploring the microscopic world of plant communication
Many artists are looking at the Anthropocene and its wide ranging impact.  In this discussion we will explore Lea’s research into the Dandelion.  Why in particular the Dandelion and Tree Dandelion.  Why it has played a large role in her evolution research and how it fits within the Anthropocene. There are a number of very recent and not so recent studies which deal with the ideas of plant communication and memory which we will explore. The subject will be further expanded by touching on Socrates teleological view of the soul and how and when contemporary writings and shifted our connection with the wider vegetable community.  Finally Lea will look at and discuss the cell and its implications and role in the Anthropocene.
Studio Component
We will also be using a handheld mini digital microscope to explore the surface of living plants and possible insects that are part of our biosphere.  Exploring plant life through sectioning and staining different parts of various plants including the Dandelion looking at the difference in the cellular structure
We will be using Lea’s compound microscope with a live feed camera to project images of what we see onto either a laptop or large screen.

Readings:
Crutzen, PJ. Earth System Science in the Anthropocene
Margolin, Victor. Beyond Green: Toward a Sustainable Art
Marder, Michael. Plant-thinking: a philosophy of vegetal life