Fostering once more the bond between art & science, Fusion:AIR 2021 edition creates the common space and tools for the interaction and collaboration of 4 artists and 4 scientific research teams. Gathered under the curatorial theme Convertible Structures, their processes and projects will unfold physically into art installations and objects. Concept and/or techniques coming straight from the scientific laboratories blend /fuse with artistic experiments and become visible in new and fruitful ways. Challenges and questions posed by such collaborative work may bring clearance into today’s society problems, the social impact of technology and the importance of ethics and ecology.
“Convertible Structures” is the concept proposed by this year’s curator, Olivia Niţiş. It develops a common thread that integrates the practices of the 4 artist -scientist pairs. It looks at how they instrumentalize materials and scientific technologies for a convertible, transformative purpose. Both artists and scientists convert information into meaning, convert ideas into real objects. The way they do it is usually seen as being different, following different paths and usually yielding different results. But they both invent the world. So Convertible Structures follows their steps on these routes, marking their intersections, it shows and stages the results of conversion of scientific material into art and vice versa.
Meet the artist-scientist teams
Aura Bălănescu studied sculpture but she is interested in immaterial sculpture and developed a theory according to which technology mediated perception generates a third state of the mind. She will collaborate with Dr. Elena Badea from the Textile and Leather Research and Development Institute, chemistry researcher, an important figure among specialists dealing with studies related to the materials of old documents. They will create an immersive installation based on the secret technique of using collagen from old manuscripts.
Bioartist Floriama Cândea will work alongside Dr. Ionuț Enculescu, director at the National Institute of Materials Physics – Măgurele, physician, specialized in the physics of condensed matter. Their research will focus on growing living cells on organic and inorganic foundation, developing a system that can function as an artificial muscle.
Ciprian Ciuclea, a visual artist interested in interpreting reality mediated by technology, will work together with Dr. Gina Isar, researcher at the Space Science Institute, specialist in astrophysics with an experience of more than 17 years. Their research will materialize in a multimedia installation related to the representation of invisible matter, of high energy particles coming from supernovas that enter and interact with the Earth’s atmosphere.
Peter Gate, anthropologist and electronic music composer, will collaborate with Dr. Marian Zamfirescu, director at the National Research and Development Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, a researcher with a wide experience in laser physics, optics and spectroscopy. Their project will expose living cells to different frequencies and will record their response via sounds.
Fusion:AIR 2021 – Key Numbers
Fusion:AIR Convertible Structures Exhibition at /SAC @Malmaison, June 11-July 3, Bucharest
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Fusion:AIR 2021 is a cultural project co-funded by The Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN).
The project does not necessarily represent the position of The Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or the manner in which the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the funding recipient.