Cica Gallery artistic residencies unite art and science
The Cica Gallery artistic residencies unite art and science in a research centre of the University of La Coruña
Scientific-Artistic Workbook by Inés Rodríguez during the Cica Gallery Artistic Residency
These past few months I have participated as an artist in this project organized by the CICA – Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry – Biology of the University of La Coruña and supported by FEYCIT – Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology.
This Galician research centre, which is responsible for the development of different scientific research projects, has organised a meeting between artists and scientists from different disciplines.
The Cica Gallery artistic residencies aim to disseminate scientific knowledge through these artistic practices that unite art and science.
Inés Rodriguez at the Cica Gallery
One of the artists selected for this artistic residency is Inés Rodríguez, a creative and artisan textile designer.
For several months he has been working at the Nanoself Laboratory. This scientific team is researching with gold and graphene nanoparticles for medical uses. This scientific laboratory is directed by Alejandro Criado and Jesús Mosquera and has hosted this artistic residency.
The artist and textile designer has worked combining art, craftsmanship and science in her fabrics as indicated on the Cica Gallery website in the artistic profile of Inés Rodríguez – see more https://cica.udc.gal/landing_participant/ines-rodriguez/
Inés Rodríguez during her textile research at the Nanoself- Cica laboratory. Cica Gallery Art Residencies
It has been several months of testing with different textile and artistic techniques and also several experiments with graphene and gold to achieve a piece of textile art that represents artistic and scientific work.
To carry out this artistic residency, the textile designer and I have carried out extensive research work in reference to scientific materials . But I have also investigated with respect to artistic materials and textile techniques such as natural dyes or photography.
Although this is not the first time I have worked in an artistic residency with unusual materials to create new textile experiments , it is my first experience in a scientific laboratory.
In previous textile experimentation experiences, such as REGA 22, the proposals were more design prototypes than finished artistic pieces.
On this occasion my objective was to work with scientific researchers, apply these substances to textiles and create pieces that reflect this process as well as my creative universe through textile art.
This process is reflected in my textile art pieces and in my Scientific Artistic notebook , which records the entire work process. It captures inspiration, textile and artistic references such as Fortuny and also scientific references, formulas and supports used.
To learn more about the artistic residency click here https://cica.udc.gal/landing_post/science-art-and-culture-this-is-what-were-the-artistic-residencies-of-cica/
How to unite Art and Science.
Art and science also share with crafts an interest in knowledge.
This knowledge is expressed in different ways in the scientific and artistic fields. But art, science and crafts have several things in common, even though they are very different disciplines.
- Materials: In all these disciplines the knowledge and study of materials.
- This will determine the final result of all the experiments. The way of expressing it will be different in each one, whether through a health product or an artistic work that feeds the soul.
- Knowledge as an end – In pure science and in artistic practice, knowledge drives the search for innovative solutions or the realization of an idea or hypothesis. This knowledge always enriches society in one way or another, providing improvements, advances, innovation or a different perspective on a subject.
- Experimentation – Although with different methods, experimentation with materials explores all their possibilities. In this case, in the artistic field and with textiles, where graphene and gold nanoparticles are integrated into different pieces of textile art.
Detail of a piece of textile art with gold nanoparticles on silk - Inés Rodríguez / Cica Gallery
The similarities between these disciplines throughout history have been total. Until recently, artists made their color mixtures with recipes that, while containing natural elements, also had chemical components.
Organic pigments and experimental techniques that were abandoned with industrialization were combined into art and science in paintings and textiles.
The same thing has happened in crafts and trades, bleaching threads, dyeing with natural dyes, hardening or preparing textiles, were processes where chemical and inorganic substances typical of scientific processes were present.
Although art and science later became separated, artists have been alchemists and researchers of materials for centuries. Contemporary art makes a lot of reference to the expression of materials and, in particular, textile art is increasingly present in art galleries.
The result of this coexistence between scientists and artists will be reflected in a joint exhibition.
In my case, a series of tapestries and textile art pieces that will be exhibited with the pieces of the rest of the selected artists; Verónica Moar, ceramist, Irene Sanz, photographer, Cillas Rodríguez and Breogán Xague, multidisciplinary artists at the Didac Foundation Gallery in Santiago de Compostela.
