"The New Mimesis"
Nurture Nature Center (Easton PA)
February - April 2017
Nurture Nature Center (Easton PA)
February - April 2017
Aristotle was the first to posit that art is a mimesis, or an imitation of the world around us. Our representation of the natural world through art can be seen as early as the paintings in Lascaux, and remains a strong tradition in contemporary art as climate, habitats, and nature changes in this age of the Anthropocene.
As a species we have stared up at the cosmos and peered into the cellular; we have studied the intricate patterns that surround us in wind currents, branching trees, and crystal structures; we have observed the spider’s web, the symmetry of snowflakes, the formations of coral. Since the beginning of our existence we have noticed the underlying order in nature and wondered why and how, looking to the world around us for inspiration, ideas, and solutions.
In our 21st century world of complex problems, we are increasingly turning to nature for answers. Our imitation of nature has grown beyond the realm of the purely aesthetic and into the world of cross-disciplinary problem solving. Mimesis has evolved into biomimicry, and through mimicking nature humanity has made advances in architecture, transportation, agriculture, robotics, medicine, aeronautics, energy, and more. We have stood on nature’s shoulders and have seen further than we ever could alone.
We look to nature not to ask ourselves what we can extract from it, but rather what we can learn. How can the patterns and structures of nature inform our cultural and technological advances? Where in nature is there knowledge to be gained, and what does that knowledge look like? What underlying forces guiding the natural world can act to guide us as well? What can we learn about ourselves through mimicking the natural world?
Curated by Julia Brennan & Julia Buntaine
As a species we have stared up at the cosmos and peered into the cellular; we have studied the intricate patterns that surround us in wind currents, branching trees, and crystal structures; we have observed the spider’s web, the symmetry of snowflakes, the formations of coral. Since the beginning of our existence we have noticed the underlying order in nature and wondered why and how, looking to the world around us for inspiration, ideas, and solutions.
In our 21st century world of complex problems, we are increasingly turning to nature for answers. Our imitation of nature has grown beyond the realm of the purely aesthetic and into the world of cross-disciplinary problem solving. Mimesis has evolved into biomimicry, and through mimicking nature humanity has made advances in architecture, transportation, agriculture, robotics, medicine, aeronautics, energy, and more. We have stood on nature’s shoulders and have seen further than we ever could alone.
We look to nature not to ask ourselves what we can extract from it, but rather what we can learn. How can the patterns and structures of nature inform our cultural and technological advances? Where in nature is there knowledge to be gained, and what does that knowledge look like? What underlying forces guiding the natural world can act to guide us as well? What can we learn about ourselves through mimicking the natural world?
Curated by Julia Brennan & Julia Buntaine
Participating artists include Brigitte Caramana, Donna Cleary, Evan Daniel, Lia Embil, Michael Flomen, Nestor Gil & Luis Schettino, Ken Jones, Robert Lach, Anthony Heinz May, David Mazure, Connor Pirruccello-McClellan, Jocelyn Shu, Jim Toia, Hanna Washburn, Rebecca Welz, Rachael Wren, and Jing Zhou.
