Visual Arts
In a startling variety of ways, contemporary artists are exploring the relationship that our species has to its planet. We have aggregated some of this very intriguing work below. If you have suggestions for works to add to the gallery, please contact us.
Works can also be viewed in portfolio view.
2014-15 Curator: Julia Olson
Michael Anderson’s wood carvings are about as far from old-timey whittling as it gets. By programming a specialized computer numerical control machine (CNC), he cuts incredibly intricate geometric patterns into pieces of plywood. The process itself is reminiscent of early, subtractive versions of 3D printing, which carved desired objects out of blocks of wood. “Each material expresses itself in a unique way,” Anderson explains of his newest efforts, which involve making sculptures from plaster and resin, as well as with a three-sided flip mill. “Experimenting with different materials allows me to understand the limitations of not only the hardware, but the material itself.” As a result, he’s been able to transform his relatively flat wood-patterned carvings into elegant 3D cubes. (source).
[easy-share buttons=”facebook,twitter,linkedin,mail” counters=0 native=”no” image=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/yusuke-asai-waf-1.jpg url=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/?p=7389 facebook_text=Share twitter_text=Tweet linkedin_text=Link text=”Michael Anderson’s Wood Carvings”]
The subtle beauty of a forest is illuminated with projection-mapped light in “bioluminescent forest”, a film by artists Friedrich van Schoor and Tarek Mawad. The artists spent six weeks in the forest fascinated by the silence and natural occurrences in nature, especially the phenomenon “bioluminescence”. They personified the forest to accentuate the natural beauty by creating luring luminescent plants and glowing magical mushrooms that speaks volumes to any visitor that enters the minds of the artists through viewing “bioluminescent forest”. Set to an ethereal score by Berlin-based composer Achim Treu, the resulting film pulses with augmented life, teeming with the verdant beauty of the natural world, enhanced. (source).
[easy-share buttons=”facebook,twitter,linkedin,mail” counters=0 native=”no” image=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/yusuke-asai-waf-1.jpg url=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/?p=7095 facebook_text=Share twitter_text=Tweet linkedin_text=Link text=”bioluminescent forest”]
John Edmark’s rely on excruciatingly precise laser-cut wood and internal mechanisms to create optical illusions and other unexpected behaviors. Edmark describes these as “instruments that amplify our awareness of the sometimes tenuous relationship between facts and perception.” Edmark’s kinetic sculptures bring the intricacies of material and space to life. (source).
[easy-share buttons=”facebook,twitter,linkedin,mail” counters=0 native=”no” image=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/yusuke-asai-waf-1.jpg url=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/?p=7095 facebook_text=Share twitter_text=Tweet linkedin_text=Link text=”John Edmark’s Kinetic Scultpures”]
In the wettest place on Earth, the village of Mawsynram in Meghalaya, India are some of the most fascinating bridges you’ll ever see. These “living bridges” are formed by locals who have trained the roots of rubber trees to grow into natural bridges. These root bridges are self-strengthening, becoming more sturdy over time as the root systems grow. Photographer Amos Chapple captured these shots of people crossing these bridges that have developed over the years. As Chapple explains about the process, “The skeleton of the bridge is bamboo, with tendrils from the surrounding rubber trees are being fixed onto the structure strand by strand. By the time the bamboo has rotted away, within 6-8 years, locals say the roots of the tree will be able to bear a person’s weight.” (source).
[easy-share buttons=”facebook,twitter,linkedin,mail” counters=0 native=”no” image=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/yusuke-asai-waf-1.jpg url=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/?p=7083 facebook_text=Share twitter_text=Tweet linkedin_text=Link text=”Indian Tree Root Bridges Captured by Photographer Amos Chapple”]
60,000 CDs form a vast, shimmering landscape in this thought-provoking installation by Paris-based artist Élise Morin. Waste Landscape was created by hand-sewing the CDs together and laying them over inflatable mounds. Viewed under different lighting schemes, the space is transformed into everything from a rippling sea to a desert of plastic. Walking amongst the artificial dunes, viewers are immersed in a gleaming, metallic world. (source).
[easy-share buttons=”facebook,twitter,linkedin,mail” counters=0 native=”no” image=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/yusuke-asai-waf-1.jpg url=https://live-ehc-english-ucsb-edu-v01.pantheonsite.io/?p=7068 facebook_text=Share twitter_text=Tweet linkedin_text=Link text=”Artist Elise Morin’s Waste Landscape”]