After last year's success, the second edition of "BACTERIART, from invisible to visible" started. "BACTERIART, from invisible to visible” is the project promoted by NABA and Yakult Italia which will involve the students of the BA in Painting and Visual Arts and of the MA in Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies from Milan and Rome campus, under the guidance of Andris Brinkmanis, Course Leader of the BA in Painting and Visual Arts together with project coordinator Chiara Lupi.
The challenge launched by Yakult Italia again this year to NABA students aims to make visible the micro-world of bacteria, which live inside the intestine of every human being, - with a focus on the “gut-brain axis” communication system, through the language of art and creativity. A union therefore between art and science, which will see its expression in the works created by the students, which will tell the charm and centrality of this invisible ecosystem, but so important for our health. The call to action of the project was officially launched on October 27th, in a digital event, during which the students came into contact with the world of bacteria for the first time. On November 4th the students had the opportunity of a virtual visit to the microbiology laboratories of AAT – Advanced Analytical Technologies, partner of the project to deepen their knowledge of the matter as well.
From December 1st to 3rd the students of the Visual Arts Department had the opportunity to take part in "Sympoiesis Seminar" the intensive workshop with which Nomeda & Gedimimas Urbonas, artists and teachers of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT, return to NABA, to help students better understand the relationship that can exist between art and microbiology, and how this can be expressed through different languages such as sculpture, painting, photography and digital technologies.
During the workshop, after an in-depth excursus on their artistic practice, which makes the combination of art and science its distinctive feature, some methodological aspects of the artistic design were offered to the students. The open, participatory workshop was an opportunity for students to reflect on the issues of balance, well-being, diversity and health.
The seminar proposed for this second edition saw the participation of special guests, such as scientist and biodesigner Sunanda Sharma, Postdoctoral Scholar at JPL - Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA / California Institute of Technology, and Ani Liu, artist, and researcher whose work converges at the intersection of art and science.
As in the previous edition, at the end of the course, an international jury, made up of personalities in the artistic and scientific fields, will evaluate the finalist works exhibited in an exhibition, during the "BacteriArt Day" event.
