Living Data
Science Art & Talks
The experiential process of observation and reflection is key to art and science
and is an essential component in understanding interdependence
of all species and ecosystems, terrestrial and aquatic.
Paul Fletcher Animator
Science Art & Talks
Living Data Program for the 2013 Ultimo Science Festival, Sydney, September 12-21.
Ice Melt, 2013 Object and animation by Maddison Haywood
Ice melting is at the heart of understanding global warming.
A Snow Ball World and stop motion animation embody responses to observing ice melting.
Ice Melt Stop motion animation
of actual ice melting
by Maddison Haywood
View of the inside of Snow Ball World, the object made by Maddison Haywood as part of developing the animation Ice Melt
Ice melting is at the heart of my understanding of global warming. It is the effect and the cause of changing environmental conditions all over the world.
I am an Undergraduate Animation student at The Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, though hailing from the South West of Victoria. Growing up on a hobby farm in a rural area has meant that I've had a strong bond with nature from the beginning. My childhood was spent in constant study of the world around me: in collecting seeds and feathers, tending gardens and recording the movements and sounds of the wildlife. This has been a perpetual source of learning and inspiration for me on my journey to become an artist animator.
Notes for exhibition designers:
Ice Melt, Polar Time and Polaritymay be screened as a sequence through Biomesh screens.
The object, Snow Ball World, is a sphere with a hole for looking inside a concave mirrored surface. It can be held comfortably in two hands. Being glass it has some weight to it, so that when handled it may bring to mind the weight of the Earth itself, rolling between two hands as if rolling though space. Glitter on the black cloth in the photo suggests stars. The glitter is mica from the fabric printed work, Phytoplankton Couranteby Eveline Kolyjn, which had just arrived from Canada for our exhibition.
A white LED bicycle torch shone on the outside surface as you look inside Snow Ball World, intensifies the brightness of the mirrors. The torch may be scured to a table or plinth but the challenge will be to make Snow Ball World accessible for holding but not for stealing!
View of the outside of Snow Ball World, 160mm diameter. Glass mirror ball encased in Biomesh.
