Dramatic images of melting glaciers, extreme weather, and rising seas grab our attention, bringing climate change into sharp focus. While the evidence of climate change in Indiana is less immediately obvious than some other places, the long-term implications are no less worrying. Precipitated by development and human induced change, rising temperatures and flooding will become more observable, affecting life in Indiana.
Contemporary art can refer to the past, record the present or point to the future. Artifacts give us a glimpse of the past. However, because life is cyclical, history can and does inform the present. State of Nature is a unique opportunity to see artifacts that show us what once lived in this region blended with works of art that address the contemporary world.
The specimens in this exhibit from the collection at the Indiana State Museum occupy an important place in the history of biodiversity in Indiana. They were carefully chosen by myself and curators at the museum to reflect Indiana’s past nature. Very different time periods are illustrated with these samples. Of course, the introduction of natural history specimens into an art gallery setting alters our appreciation of these vestiges of living things, and encourages us to reconsider their value and function. The beauty of these samples is obvious, but it may not be quite so obvious that they have occupied the same space that we live in.
As an artist and curator, I have long been interested in the power of art to stimulate sometimes unconventional musings on the wider world. Over the last ten years, I have had the opportunity to visit, photograph and observe museums and collections in Europe and the US. From this research I was inspired to design installations that paired artifacts from natural history collections with my creative work. Artists books, painting, photographs, sculpture and video make up these installations, and I believe that the coupling of these works with artifacts results in more complete aesthetic story about our relationship with nature and the act of collecting. State of Nature grew out of this work.
The images and objects in this exhibit reflect the visual beauty of the natural world, and illustrate the morphology of life. While disintegration and decay are to be expected, the artefactual aesthetic characteristics of collections help us hold onto the past. These samples are a record of “shadow biodiversity,” both intangible and ethereal, ensuring that these once living things remain relevant today. Images and objects tell multi-layered stories of our wonder at the natural world and about our attempts to make sense of it.
We wish to acknowledge and honor the Indigenous communities native to this region, and recognize that Indiana University Bloomington is built on Indigenous homelands and resources. We recognize the Miami, Delaware, Potawatomi, and Shawnee people as past, present, and future caretakers of this land.
State of Nature: Picturing Indiana Biodiversity is a collaborative project with a number of individuals and institutions. The show will travel to the Indiana State Museum in spring 2021.
2015
The Wunderkammer drew attention to the practice of private and institutional collecting of art, artifacts, and specimens through the display of objects from special collections at Indiana University. Special collections at IU were invited to partner with the Grunwald Gallery to select unusual and non-traditional items, which the public rarely sees. It is in the context of the Wunderkammer that we display these things, as a cabinet of curiosities similar to the historical collections amassed by individuals in the sixteenth century. This tradition continued well into the nineteenth century, with individuals collecting art, natural history specimens, cultural artifacts and ephemera, and there is a resurgence of interest in this today.
The underlying goal behind this exhibit was to highlight the special collections at Indiana University that are not typically seen by the average visitor. There are many collections that are often overlooked including the Department of Biology’s Herbarium, The Elizabeth Sage Costume Collection and the University Archives among others.
Curators and archivists were invited to partner with the Grunwald Gallery to select approximately five or more unusual items for the exhibit. Information about each object was provided by each institution to place the items within an appropriate context. This information about how these objects came to be part of these collections is as important as the items themselves.
Collections represented are the Archives for African American Music and Culture, The Herbarium and Zoology Collections in the Department of Biology, The Black Film Center Archives, Campus Collections, the Indiana Geological Survey, the Indiana University Art Museum, the Glenn Black Laboratory, The Kinsey Institute, The Lilly Library, The Mathers Museum of World Cultures,
Installation views
2015
The Miniature featured the work of ten artists and artisans who create miniature work in a variety of media. Some of the artists make true miniatures: exact replicas of historical instruments or furniture, while others make models and miniature worlds of their own design. Many artists and craftspeople making works in miniature today display a compulsive motivation and an obsessive attention to detail. These artists must make unique tools to create their work, and the process of designing and constructing the tools to make these works is often as inventive as the finished pieces. Artists in the exhibit: Matthew Albanese, Lee-Ann Chellis Wessel, Nell Corkin, Althea Crome, Thomas Doyle, Joe Fig, Mark Murphy, Blane de St. Croix, Wm. R. Robertson, Michale Yurkovic. Curated by Althea Crome and Betsy Stirratt.
Installation views
2016
[Re]Imagining Science contains collaborative projects by fourteen teams of researchers in the arts and sciences. The exhibition, based at Indiana University Bloomington, contains a variety of projects by artists and scientists that illustrate scientific principles, develop ways to understand science differently, and potentially may create new science as the outcome. Collaborations will feature the work of researchers in the visual and sound arts, design, sciences and social sciences, with ambitious works that include large scale sculptural objects, photographs, installations, video works, interactive environments, microscopy images, and sound works.
The exhibit and programs explore the relationship between creative production in the arts and sciences and the interactivity of collaboration. The projects utilize scientific images as a springboard to introduce creative concepts and non-traditional thinking into the production of visual materials that will highlight and illustrate ideas found in science. The visual arts and sciences have a shared history of creativity and parallel paths of experimentation, goal seeking, and trial and error. The interconnectedness of these thought and work processes will be highlighted, and the similarities and differences in the thought processes within these disciplines are explored. Curated by Jeffrey A. Wolin, Christoph Irmscher and Betsy Stirratt.
Installation views
2017
Kinship examines the influence of family life on personal and cultural identity. Each artist delves into the complex nature of family structures to express how it shapes internal dialogue and personal narrative. Through various avenues of investigation such as family lore and heritage, this exhibition addresses what it means to embody familial identity, while experiencing otherness within a public and private context. Artist in the exhibit are Elizabeth M. Claffey, Tara Bogart, Joy Christiansen Erb, Letitia Huckaby, Priya Kambli, Rachelle Mozman. Curated by Elizabeth M. Claffey and Betsy Stirratt.
Installation views
Installation views