Art, science, sea turtles, and diatoms – what do they all have in common? They all came together through the eyes and hands of professors and students of the Academy of Fine Arts and Faculty of Science in Zagreb.
The workshop was organized 5.4.2019. as a part of the traditional public science project “Day and Night at PMF”, a series of events held at seven departments of the Faculty of Science.
Connecting art and science is not an easy task but our artistic guests were set on delivering their vision of what we see in the lab almost every day. Diatoms growing in their silica shells have inspired many ever since the invention of the first microscope. Their silica frustules with intricate structures mesmerize amateur microscopists and scientists alike. Found in almost all aquatic ecosystems, along with other microorganisms, they also inhabit the backs sea turtles and form “worlds of glass”. Sea turtles, as ancient ocean drifters, have a history of their own as hard-shelled, slow but majestic animals. Climate change and plastic pollution are putting these gentle giants at the risk of extinction. To raise awareness about environmental issues the Earth is facing, we chose to use predominantly recycled materials in creating sculptures and paintings depicting fragile ecosystems of sea turtles and their inhabitants.
In this gallery, you can see the finished works of art and the mysterious process behind creativity, sometimes even more elusive than the most peculiar processes in nature.
In this gallery, you can see the finished works of art and the mysterious process behind creativity, sometimes even more elusive than the most peculiar processes in nature.
Glass world on turtle’s back – exhibition
Interactive microworld model on turtle’s back – workshop
