“art + science III” juried by Linda Alterwitz | GalleryTalk
The “art + science” exhibition, juried by Linda Alterwitz, was in the online gallery from February 1 to March 31, 2025. Linda selected thirty nine images from sixteen artists for the exhibition. Eric Zeigler and Aaron Ellison’s image “Polypores, Allerton Park and Retreat Center, Monticello, Illinos – Infrared Light, 2024” received the Juror’s Award. Tim Christensen’s image “Rosalia lameerei” received the Director’s Award.
Juror’s Statement
I would like to thank all of you who submitted to A Smith’s Art + Science Call for Entry. Recently, there have been more and more collaborations between artists and scientists—a natural outcome since both disciplines are interwoven through our everyday experiences. The chosen projects featured in this exhibition address this symbiosis with perspectives that range from personal to global, tranquility to tragedy, as well as from fascination and intrigue.
Trauma, healing and regrowth are central themes repeated throughout the selected images. Recent memories of medical trauma and the global pandemic are made visible in Paul Delpani’s Pandemic Series, offering a visually alluring translation of the DNA/RNA structure of pandemic viruses using microscopic photography.
Elizabeth Kayl’s image of a silhouetted, leafless tree standing alone in a dry field includes dust particles from the film. With the current and ongoing fire crises, the dust feels reminiscent of fire ash floating in the air. Along with an eerie and ambiguous layer of light, this photograph provokes an awareness to climate change and the current environmental challenges.
Laura Bennett creates cyanotypes over botanical prints in her series Garden Apparitions. Her imaginative photographs of women and botany present a playful and contemporary nod toward Anna Atkin’s botanical cyanotypes, especially as it relates to technological experimentation and artistic expression.
Eric Zeigler and Aaron Elison’s black and white infrared photograph presents the remains of a hollowed-out tree stump. The death of this tree is juxtaposed with new life. Not only will the process of its decomposition generate nutrients for the soil, but also fungi grow on its outer bark, offering hope for healing and regrowth.
When artistic and scientific investigations are successfully integrated, it inspires a clarity of vision. Together, these photographs present a unique perspective of the interconnectedness within our world that is bound together by art and science.
Linda Alterwitz
January, 2025