Exploratory Laboratory 2
For the second stage of Ex Lab artists and scientists are begining to work together to rediscover the Jurassic coast.
Artists Simon Callery, Mat Chivers, Zachary Eastwood-Bloom, Simon Ryder and creative studio Proboscis, were chosen from over 200 submissions to have the chance of a lifetime to work with scientists to create some amazing new temporary art that will be all about the places the people and the landscape of Dorset. Because artists and scientists would be working together we started calling this exciting way of discovering the landscape an Exploratory Laboratory.
After a research period starting right now and continuing until the spring the works will appear at locations across Dorset. They will all be set against the inspirational backdrop of the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events, taking place in Weymouth and Portland 2012.
The Ex Lab artists are interested in how the landscape is formed. The Jurassic Coast is a rich landscape resource that doesn't just look spectacular it reveals the past.
The Jurassic Coast has been described as a linear laboratory for the earth sciences. Its rocks - beautifully exposed and accessible along its length - sequentially record 185 million years of the Earth's history, openly displaying a bewildering range of coastal processes, still changing and forming.
Sculptor Mat Chivers will work with the National Trust at Purbeck to create work for Bournemouth town centre, bringing the countryside to the town. Mat says, “I have always been fascinated by ideas of change and flux. To be working in response to a landscape that makes it possible to experience transformative processes in the natural world on such an enormous scale, and in such a beautiful context, is going to be a great challenge and pleasure.”
Zachary Eastwood-Bloom is a multi-material artist who brings together traditional and contemporary processes He will be working at Durlston Country Park with the Applied Science department at Bournemouth University. Zachary looks forward to the prospect of exploring the possibilities of bringing real scientific data into his work and getting his hands on state of the art instrumentation; “The prospect of working and being in dialogue with scientists is a very exciting notion”.
On the complex and varied terrain of Portand Bill artist Simon Ryder is excited by the challenge of dealing with the shifting aspects of layers, geological, historical, ecological even military, that coexist. Simon is fascinated by the way the Jurassic Coast, “plays with time, compressing millions of years into a few kilometres of coast.”
At Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock, creative studio Proboscis are taking a social science approach to the way people relate to this dramatic place. They are inspired by folklore and contemporary anecdote, amateur and professional science, like the rich mix of sea and shingle constantly moving and changing on the Chesil beach.
Simon Callery is linking the geology inland with that visible on the coast. Simon is following a geological journey from Sherborne to the sea, creating new work that will reflect the experience of walking these landscapes and meeting with people who live along the route.
Over the next few months the artists and scientists will be together and there will be lots of opportunities to find out about the landscape with them, follow the progress of their projects and.to join in. Check back to the website for news and to find out how you can get involved.