By Brittany Shrimpton
Alison Hiltner talks with producer Brittany Shrimpton about her work, recent collaborations, and the intersectionality of arts and sciences.
Q: What genres of art do you practice or how do you describe your work to others?
Alison Hiltner: That is always a complex question. Honestly I call myself a science fiction archeologist, as that definition is fluid yet oddly precise. The rest is ever changing with materials, and concepts, I’ll always elaborate if someone wants me to but since we are visual creatures I rely on showing images in lieu of words.
Q: What relationship or intersections do you see between art and science?
A: I think it could go much further, but there are more and more programs being facilitated where the arts and sciences collaborate with one another. I recently listened to a podcast about connecting science and art. During the program, one of the guests speculated on the cultural aspects of science and art; both force us to reassess our place in the cosmos and probe into the larger questions of humanity. Art can help imagine the way the world is and as it might be, while science gives it definition.
Q: How can art be used to engage audiences in complex, scientific and environmental discussions?
A: I believe that art is an invaluable tool for visual storytelling and creating a point of accessibility for the sciences that are somewhat intimidating to a large portion of the population. It creates an opportunity to directly interact with a hypothesis turned factual outcome; this ability to literally immerse someone in a line of thought that is not really available to scientists on a large scale in terms of outreach. The laboratory is not usually a place for large groups of spectators.
Q: How did you first learn about the CBS Conservatory, meet Lisa Philander and want to partner for the Ecological Futures exhibit?
A: I learned about the CBS Conservatory a couple of years ago because of the corpse flower blooming and fell in love with the place when I went to go see it. After numerous visits to CBS- too many to count- I finally met Lisa, and I love dreaming up ideas with her. Collaboration seemed like a natural way to put our ideas into actions, for it took the form of Ecological Futures.
Q: How else has your work intersected with the CBS Conservatory since the Ecological Futures Northern Spark exhibit?
A: Great Question! I worked with Lisa in an advisory capacity, coupled with an informal residency to create, Closer Everyday, an exhibit at Rochester Community and Technical College. That spoke directly to the strong connection between biodiversity and community health. The exhibit was up from January 11 – February 27, 2018. This residency did provide new areas of exploration that I have not yet considered, resulting in a richer more intellectually rigorous installation at RCTC. I ended up creating an interactive installation that incorporated plant stoma with aspects of the human body, given the strong connection between Rochester and the Mayo Clinic.
Closer Everyday is a prototype piece based on the respiration physiology of plants. I want to evolve this piece into a botanical dating service. The initial visual inspiration came from plant pores, stomata, which allow plants to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. The stoma can close and open to allow this exchange. Following that line of thought, I began to imagine what would happen if this physiology could be translated into a device that could kiss the skin fitted with sensors that could evaluate skin chemistry, more specifically pH levels. This data would be processed and if another participant receiving a “kiss” possess the same pH level the skin of all the devices would signal the match by altering color like a cuttlefish’s mating rituals. The MSAB allowed me to begin this exciting direction with the piece.
Not really sure where it will all end of but that is what I’m working on currently… trying to figure out. Hmm that was a very long answer.
Q: What projects/exhibits are you working on currently?
A: This is a tricky one to answer. I have a couple of things happening that I’m really excited about but have to wait for a public announcement before I share anything.
Q: What are you most looking forward to at Northern Spark 2018?
A: I need to do a lot more research about what I need to see, but I am very much looking forward to Carry On Homes by Peng Wu, Shunjie Yong, Aki Shibata, Preston Drum, and Zoe Cinel. I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with most of the artists on this project through Soo Visual Arts Center.
What is Northern Spark?
What is Northern Lights.MN?
Alison Hiltner is a fiscal year 2017 recipient of an Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
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