How to explore the relationship between nature technology in art
Science has been a reoccurring influence on different aspects of my artistic practice. On two occasions I’ve had a fascination with exploring the relationship between nature and technology in my art. ‘Team Zissou’ in 2014, and ‘Contrasting Tides’ in 2023 both explored these ideas in different ways. Long story short, I saw that as technology seems to shrink as it ages, sea life seems to grow in contrast. As we will see it’s an interesting dichotomy and not exactly that simple.
Check out the video below where I discuss the background and thought process of these two paintings.
An artist as a sort of investigative journalist
Back when I was studying art in college, there was a recurring discussion around the idea that an artist can explore many different subject matter and concepts. While I do not consider myself to be a scientist, science has always fascinated me. You could argue that this puts a visual artist in a similar vein as a science fiction author. There’s a level of license and interpretation that takes place.
The genesis of these paintings:Rotary phones, giant mobile phones, and daleks. Oh my!
‘Team Zissou’ began its life as an attempt to create a more light hearted and playful painting to add to my body of work. In that painting I included references to technology such as rotary phones, giant 90’s era mobile phones (which I grew up with), and <a href=”https://youtu.be/fkchLL3k-cw?si=KHXBRubtLfDljmnO”>Daleks from the show Dr. Who</a>, for fun. Contrasting tides included references to laptops and other technology primarily used for communication. Both pieces include a reference to nano technology to some extent, as that ties the concept of the contrast between nature and tech together. As one set of things grows, the other shrinks, but they compete for space.
How the idea for ‘Contrasting Tides’ formed
‘Contrasting Tides’ began its life when I was invited to create a life painting for an event for a brewery in Dallas called Celestial. This was the first of two live painting events I participated in 2023. While I appreciate the invitation and found the experience educational, ultimately I learned the true value of the privacy of studio space. Continuing the theme of aquatic references, a dolphin and/or the number 42 shows up in both paintings continuing a reverence for tongue in cheek humor.
There was some great energy translated into this painting, but I would’ve also probably made different decisions for the piece in a different environment. That being said, the version I created was probably the one that was supposed to be made at the time. I can always revisit that idea later in a future painting.
Both paintings have received juried recognition, and one sits in a private collection
‘Team Zissou’ was selected for a juried show titled ‘How We See’ at Pencil on Paper Gallery in Dallas in 2021. Special thank you to Dr. Valerie Gillespie and Mr. Emmanuel Gillespie for including me in this fantastic group show. ‘Team Zissou ended up in the residence of a private north Dallas art collector.
‘Contrasting Tides’ was later included in the 15th annual ‘Hecho en Dallas’ juried exhibition in 2023 at the Latino Cultural center along with my painting ‘Futurist Pompeii.’
More’s Law Versus Nature in the Ocean
According to Investopedia “In 1965, Gordon Moore posited that roughly every two years, the number of transistors on microchips will double. Commonly referred to as Moore’s Law, this phenomenon suggests that computational progress will become significantly faster, smaller, and more efficient over time.”
Contrast this to the natural evolution of sea life. The deeper you get into the ocean, sea life grows into increasingly larger proportions and sometimes live substantially longer than life on land. “Greenland Sharks are the oldest living vertebrates in the modern world… [with a lifespan between 200-500 years].” Something about that is very fascinating to me.
Other artists exploring similar themes that have also influenced me.
One of my paintings got its name as a direct homage to the Wes Anderson film ‘Life Aquatic’. The Pink Floyd Song ‘Echoes’ directly explores the idea of the unknown specter of the depths of the ocean. Given their music often explores ‘space’ there’s an interesting shift in focus. This song typifies the more abstract nature of this period of the band’s music, and really inspired me to explore something I would’ve been slightly unfamiliar with otherwise.
My thoughts on technology and AI, and man sharing space with the life of the ocean
I’ve become slightly wary of technology in recent years. What once promised to help make life better has seemingly pivoted to focus uncomfortably solely on commerce at best, and pyramid scheme scams at worst (see crypto and NFT’s) that do nothing to help the worsening climate crisis. That’s not to entirely discount advances in space exploration and healthcare(Credit where it’s due).
Seemingly those feel like a hopeful concept rather than what’s more recognizable as a mechanism that exacerbates humanities worst tendencies. The acquisition of materials to produce computer parts has been leading to some international tensions as well. That doesn’t even touch on the waste produced by manufacturing that adds to pollution in the ocean.
Far be it from me to tell people how to feel about any of this, but it’s important to know that my focus on bringing awareness of the environment has a lot to do with my upbringing. Having been raised by a horticulturist and landscape designer, I’ve always had a deep reverence for the role nature plays in our lives.
The evolution of sea life
My painting ‘Team Zissou’ contains references to sea-turtles and giant squid. What intrigues me about these creatures’ life span is that they can potentially live over 100 years and increase in size. Though at risk of extinction (superficially in the case of sea turtles), some marine life can easily outlive humans. There is something very fascinating about the thought of organic life striving to grow and increase its presence on earth.
Rarely seen giant squid can be massive and possess extreme intelligence
Mollusk such as giant squid can be said to be as large as a school bus, as small as a finger, and possess a fascinating level of intelligence. The video above details a great deal of information about these fascinating deep-sea creatures. Some deep-sea squid even possess natural bioluminescence.
Including references to flora in ‘Contrasting Tides
I chose to include a magnolia blossom on the top and a daffodil on the bottom of ‘Contrasting Tides.’ To me, the magnolia represents personal and cultural nostalgia, whereas a daffodil may represent new beginnings. given that a good number of modern media formats (social media, film) focus heavily on nostalgia, this seemed to lend to the commentary of the piece.
Nostalgia, and communicating a way forward
While I love the visuals and symbolism of the magnolia personally, there has to be some form of growth beyond looking to the past constantly. Too much nostalgia may not be a healthy thing to focus on if one wishes to move forward in life. That was what I was thinking and going for when I sketched out ideas for the piece. While the colors of the daffodil are slightly darker in this painting, rebirth often comes from decay and destruction in nature. I was seeking to say something about our constant need for instant gratification. The fact is that that positive growth can come from facing our own need to mature and learn. Comfort is not a bad thing to me by any means. However, as a species we require balance to live a full life.
Painting live: benefits and challenges
As I was invited to paint live at two events, I learned some good things. I also learned the positive benefit of quiet, private, studio space. A great deal of energy was translated in “Contrasting Tides” as a result of the crowd and the music of the first event, Venus Fest. By virtue of this being an ‘arts’ like event, my participation felt natural. I want to give a special shout out and thank you to fellow artist and friend Sara Morton for connecting me and encouraging me to participate in this event.
The second event was held at Jester King Brewery in Austin. While I definitely appreciate the thoughtful invitation, this event convinced me that the time and place for any performative art should be very deliberate. I mostly felt like I was an annoyance to the people attending to drink beer. This stands in contrast to Celestial’s event.
Live painting in the future… maybe…
Both of these experiences gave me varying lessons. The most important one is that context is key. I might do some level of live painting in an art gallery setting, paired with a talk or reception. While I do want to express gratitude for my previous invitations, being in a gallery or studio setting will always best serve the art and the creative process.
