HELLO EVERYONE, WELCOME THE
NEW ACADEMIC YEAR
HAS BEGUN.
ALBEIT IN A FORM THAT IS UNUSUAL
FOR MANY OF US.
MY NAME IS SHANNON JACKSON AND
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO
WELCOME YOU TO THE FIRST PUBLIC
PROGRAMMING EVENT OF A
PLUS D SEASON.
WHICH ALSO HAPPENS TO BE THE
FIRST SPEAKER EVENT IN A
PLUS D THURSDAYS.
IT IS A -- AS MANY OF YOU KNOW
THIS LECTURE SERIES SITS
INSIDE A PUBLIC COURSE THAT WE
HAVE BEEN CREATING --
THAT WE CREATED OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS AND OFFERED
IN NEW ITERATIONS.
IT'S A COURSE THAT WAS CREATED
TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO
A RANGE OF CREATIVE FORMS ACROSS
VISUAL ARTS ACROSS
PERFORMANCE, NEW MEDIA, FILM AND
DESIGN.
AS WELL AS TO INTRODUCE THEM TO
THE CREATIVE CULTURE OF
OUR CAMPUS AND THE BAY AREA
REGION.
IT HAS A DIFFERENT THEME EVERY
SEMESTER.
AND I'LL BE TALKING A BIT MORE
ABOUT WHAT THIS THEME IS
EXPLORING THIS PARTICULAR
SEMESTER.
BEFORE I DO HOWEVER, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE LAND ON
WHICH THIS COURSE SITS.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON WHICH IT
DEPENDS.
AND IN DOING SO WE WANT TO BE
SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
UC BERKELEY IS SITED ON THE
ANCESTRAL AND UNSEEDED
TERRITORY OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE.
AS WE CONVENE ON CAMPUS EVEN
WHEN WE DO SO VIRTUALLY WE
RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY THE OHLONE
HISTORY BUT ALSO THAT THE
OHLONE PEOPLE ARE ACTIVE
FLOURISHING MEMBERS OF THE
BERKELEY COMMUNITY AND THE BAY
AREA COMMUNITY
WRIT LARGE.
FOR MANY OF US GATHERED AT THIS
COURSE ON THIS LECTURE
SERIES BERKELEY IS A VERY
SPECIAL PLACE.
WE KNOW WE WERE NOT THE FIRST TO
RECOGNIZE OR TO SETTLE
OR CELEBRATE THE EXCEPTIONAL
PLACE THAT WE HAVE THE
PRIVILEGE OF CALLING OUR CAMPUS.
AS IT HAPPENS THIS COURSE
LETTERS AND SCIENCES 25
EXPLORATIONS ACROSS ARTS AND
DESIGN HAS ALSO THINKING
THROUGH ARTS AND DESIGN HAS ALSO
BEEN A PLACE THAT HAS
CONTINUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THE
POLITICS OF PLACE.
WHETHER UNDER THEMES OF
MIGRATION AND TRANSFORMATION,
THE ARCHITECTURE OF LIFE OR LAST
SEMESTER'S COURSE ON
PUBLIC ART AND BELONGING.
WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING AN
INVESTIGATION OF PLACE
IN DIFFERENT FORM WITH THIS
COURSE.
IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK
AT THE SYLLABUS OR AT
THE LINE UP OF SPEAKERS, YOU
KNOW THAT THIS COURSE'S
THEME WILL EXPLORE VISUAL
CULTURE AND THE AESTHETICS
OF THE DIGITAL.
A THEME THAT IS UNCANNILY
RESONANT FOR OUR CAMPUS AND THE
COUNTRY AND THE WORLD AS WE
EXPERIENCE SO MUCH IN TERMS
OF CONNECTION AND GATHERING
ONLINE.
SO THE DIGITAL AND ITS
AESTHETICS ARE GOING TO BE
OBJECT OF STUDY AND METHOD OF
STUDY THROUGHOUT
THIS COURSE.
WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER A NEW
ITERATION FOR OUR FALL
SEMESTER WE SET ABOUT LOOKING
FOR A FACULTY MEMBER TO
LEAD THIS CHARGE AND WE FELT SO
LUCKY TO HAVE PROFESSOR
GREG NIEMIYER STEP UP TO THE
PLATE TO DO SO.
MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM FROM CAMPUS
OR AS A BAY AREA ARTIST.
HIS WORK FOCUSES ON DATA
CIRCULATION AND ON CREATING
POETIC STRUCTURES THAT
MATERIALIZE DATA AND IT'S IMPACT
ON OUR LIVES.
NIEMIYER'S ART PROJECTS ARE VAST
AND WIDE.
ALL OF THESE PROJECTS WHICH YOU
MAY ASK HIM ABOUT WORK
ACROSS DISCIPLINES WITH AN EYE
TO TECHNICAL PROTOCOL.
WE COULDN'T IMAGINE ANYONE MORE
PERFECT TO LEAD OUR
INVESTIGATION AND EXPLORATION
THIS SEMESTER.
HE AND A PLUS D'S PROGRAM
COORDINATOR PARIS COATS HAVE
BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER AN
INCREDIBLE SPEAKER SERIES TO
JOIN WITH THIS COURSE.
HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO
LOOK AT THE LINE UP.
YOU KNOW HOW INDEBTED TO BOTH OF
THEM FOR HAVE OTHER
PRODUCED A SERIES THAT IS
SPECTACULAR AND BRACING AND
JUST WHAT WE NEED AT THIS
MOMENT.
I WANT TO PASS THE SPOTLIGHT TO
GREG TO INTRODUCE OUR
FIRST SPEAKER NOT BEFORE ASKING
YOU TO OFFER A MUTED OR
UNMUTED APPLAUSE TO THANKS TO
ISABELLA AND GREG WHAT
THEY HAVE DONE FOR US.
GO BEARS EVERYONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH SHANNON FOR
THAT BEAUTIFUL INTRODUCTION.
I'M HONORED TO BE IN THIS
POSITION TO BE ABLE TO BRING
PEOPLE TOGETHER TO DISCUSS
VISUAL CULTURES.
RIGHT NOW IN OUR MINDS IS VISUAL
CULTURES IN THE FORM
OF CELL PHONE JUSTICE.
IN THE PROLIFERATION OF IMAGES
THAT DESCRIBE THE
REALITY WE LIVE IN IN DIFFERENT
PLACES AROUND THE WORLD
SO QUICKLY AND RADICALLY AND
URGENTLY THAT WE ALL ARE
INSPIRED TO RETHINK OUR VALUES
AND TAKE ACTIONS IN
DIFFERENT WAYS.
VISUAL IMAGES HELP US ADVANCE
OUR CULTURE AND HELP US
SEE THINGS IN NEW WAYS.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS
COURSE IS PUBLIC WHICH
SHANNON MENTIONED.
IT'S A GIFT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA TO EVERYBODY.
SPECIFICALLY TO YOU ALL RIGHT
NOW IN THE ROOM.
AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MANY
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD
ARE JOINING US.
I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW MS.
V WHO IS JOINING US FROM SAINT
GEORGE, UTAH AND I WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE GRADUATE
INSTRUCTORS WHO ARE AMONG THE
PANELISTS AND WHO ARE GOING TO
TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS TODAY.
I'M NOW GOING TO SWITCH TO A FEW
SLIDES TO INTRODUCE
OUR ESTEEMED GUEST SPEAKER
ISABELLA KIRKLAND.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING NOW?
A MIXTURE OF THINGS.
OKAY.
THAT WAS NOT THE RIGHT ONE.
WE WANT THIS ONE HERE.
IT'S NOT WORKING LIKE IT WAS
SUPPOSED TO.
TRY THIS AGAIN.
SHARE.
IT JUST WORKED A MOMENT AGO.
BUT THAT'S OKAY.
THAT'S PART OF IMAGE CULTURES AS
WELL, ISN'T IT?
TRY THIS AGAIN.
STILL THIS.
STILL STRANGE.
GOING TO DO IT LIKE THIS.
IT'S FINE.
DO YOU SEE THE SLIDES AT THIS
POINT OR NO.
IT'S WHITE.
AND IT SAYS YOU'RE VIEWING GREG
NIEMEYER SCREEN.
THAT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
THAT'S STRANGE.
TRY THIS AGAIN A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT WAY.
WE GOT THIS.
WE'RE PROFESSIONALS.
THERE WE GO.
ONE MORE TRY HERE.
THERE WE GO.
AND ONE MORE STEP HERE.
PRESENT.
AND THEN WE GO BACK HERE.
AND BACK HERE.
DO YOU SEE THE SLIDES NOW.
NO.
NOW WE DO.
EVENT PROTOCOL.
YEP.
GOOD.
THANK YOU.
SO THIS IS OUR LOGO OF COURSE.
BERKELEY ARTS AND DESIGN.
TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
MATERIAL LONGEVITY WITH
ISABELLA KIRKLAND WHO IS JOINING
US FROM BEAUTIFUL
SAUSALITO CALIFORNIA DIRECTLY
FROM HER STUDIO
WHICH IS EXCITING.
IT'S A RARE PRIVILEGE TO VISIT
AN ARTIST'S STUDIO.
AN INFECTIOUS SPIRIT OF CARE.
EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THEM I FEEL
DEEPLY MOVED BY THE
LOVE AND AFFECTION SHE BRINGS TO
THE NATURAL WORLD.
THEIR SURREALISM SEEMS HISTORIC
AS IT RETRIEVES AN
ANTIQUATED STYLE WHICH IS LIKE
DUTCH PAINTERS.
BUT A CLOSER LOOK SHOWS THAT
THIS IS A PAINTING OF
TODAY REVEALS ANIMALS AND
FLOWERS ENDANGERED SPECIES
FROM A SPECIFIC PART OF THE
WORLD.
REVERSES ITSELF INTO AN
AESTHETIC INTO ATTENTION AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.
MEANING WE SHOULD CARE FOR THESE
ANIMALS MORE THAN WE DO.
WITH HER WAY OF RENDERING THESE
ANIMALS SHE MANIFESTS
THAT CARE AND INSPIRES US TO
CARE AND BE ACCOUNTABLE
OURSELVES FOR THE FELLOW SPECIES
IN THE PLANET.
KIRKLAND WILL DIVE INTO THE
MEANINGS AND RENDERING OF
THE NATURAL WORLD AND
TRANSFORMATION.
ISABELLA'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE
WORLD IN THE NATURAL WORLD
AND THE POLITICAL WORLD IS TRULY
ENCYCLOPEDIC.
THERE'S SO MUCH SHE HAS TO SAY
ABOUT THE THINGS SHE RENDERS.
SHE'S INCREDIBLY KNOWLEDGEABLE
SCHOLAR OF THE OBJECTS
THEE PAINTS.
I LEARNED IN SURNAM, NEW YORK
ARE COLONIES OF THE DUMP PERIOD.
THE DUTCH ABANDONED NEW YORK IN
ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR
CONTROL OF SURA NAM.
SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT.
AND ELIMINATE COLONIAL
EXPERIENCE FROM ANOTHER
PERSPECTIVE.
WORKING IN THE CLASSIC TRADITION
OF AUDUBON AND
WILDLIFE PAINTERS BLENDS THE
FORM TO ADDRESS ECOLOGICAL
CHALLENGES FACE BEING THE WORLD
IN THE AGE OF GLOBAL WARMINGS.
HER PAINTINGS WHICH FUSE THE
MASTERS OF DUTCH AS A
MATTER OF FACTORS STILL LIVES
SHATTERED BY THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PLANET IS
IN FLUX.
THIS PLANET IS IN FLUX.
AND WE SEE IT EVERY TIME.
WE FEEL IT RIGHT NOW WITH THE
SMOKES IN THE AIR FROM
THE FIRES ARNOLD THE BAY AREA.
IN RECENT YEARS KIRKLAND WORKED
ON 3 SERIES OF
PAINTINGS GONE, RESURRECTED AND
ANEW.
SPECIES THAT ARE EXTINCT
RESCUED OR FRESHLY DISCOVERED.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
ISABELLA KIRKLAND WITH A
ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I'M GOING TO WISH YOU BETTER
LUCK THAN MYSELF IN
SWITCHING TO SCREENS.
ISABELLA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING.
THANK YOU, GREG.
I APPRECIATE IT.
MUCH APPRECIATED.
WELCOME TO MY STUDIO.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL GO SMOOTHLY
WE'LL SEE.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A QUICK
ROUND ABOUT VIEW OF MY SHOP.
THAT'S A PIECE I JUST FINISHED.
A SMALL ONE ON THE EASEL.
I'M SORRY I WORK WITH A LOT OF
GLAZES.
SO YOU WILL GET GLARE.
THIS IS FATHER TIME.
THAT IS OF ALL OF ANIMALS WHERE
THE MALES DO A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE BABY
CARE.
I'M WORKING ON THAT PROJECT WITH
SARA HERDY.
A MARSH LEST ANTHROPOLOGIST AT
DAVIS.
SHE WROTE A BOOK CALLED MOTHER
NATURE.
THAT PIECE THIS IS FOREST FLOOR.
I'LL SHOW YOU AGAIN IN A MINUTE.
I HAVE A VERY SERIES BRUSH
FETISH.
EVERY SINGLE BRUSH DOES
SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO I RARELY THROW THEM OUT.
DO YOU MAKE SOME OF YOUR OWN
BRUSHES ISABELLA.
I DO MAKE MY OWN BRUSHES.
SEE THEM CLEARLY.
MANY OF THESE I MADE.
I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF
BUILDING A CAPO FOR A BRUSH
SO I CAN -- THEY'RE GREAT FOR
DOING FEATHERS.
IF I WANT TO DO STRIATIONS I'LL
USE A FEATHER THAT I'VE
STRIPPED AND MOUNTED.
THESE ARE A FEW PIECES THAT I'M
NOT GOING TO SHOW YOU
LATER IN THE TALK.
THEY'RE BOTH QUITE RECENT.
HARD FOR ME TO SHOW THEM AND SEE
THEM AT THE SAME TIME.
THESE ARE -- MOST OF THESE ARE
MOTHS FROM AFRICA.
AND THIS ONE IS STILL DRIVING ME
CRAZY.
I HAVEN'T QUITE FINISHED THAT
ONE.
A QUICK STUDIO VISIT SO YOU KNOW
WHERE YOU ARE.
I'M ON LANDFILL IN SAUCE LITO.
I SHOULD THANK THE OYSTERS.
SINCE THEY WERE THE ONES HERE
BEFORE WE ARE.
AND I GUESS I CAN GO RIGHT AHEAD
AND START MY TALK.
YOU CAN SEE WELL ENOUGH.
UH-OH.
SOMETHING HAPPENED.
NO THAT IS NOT WHAT I WANTED TO
HAVE HAPPEN PART TIME
PARDON ME.
THAT'S WORKING BEAUTIFULLY.
YEP.
GREAT.
WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT
TODAY IS THE LONGEVITY OF
OBJECTS AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH BY USING LONGEVITY.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT -- FIRST
OF ALL I'VE MADE
OBJECTS EVER SINCE I COULD MAKE
THINGS.
I'VE BEEN A COMPULSIVE MAKER MY
LIFE.
IT'S ALL I WANTED TO DO.
THE FIRST 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE I
SPENT MAKING SCULPTURE
BASICALLY AND INSTALLATIONS.
THEY WERE A SET THAT YOU WALKED
INTO.
YOU HAD TO FIGURE OUT THE
SCRIPT.
THE FILM YOUR WATCHING IS A
PIECE FROM 1978 CALLED RECINEMA.
IT'S A PIXILATED FILM OF THE
BUILDING OF THE CINEMA ITSELF.
IN THE END 2 PEOPLE COULD SIT IN
THE THEATER AND WATCH
THIS PIXILATED FILM.
INCLUDING A LIBRARY THAT WAS
FILLED WITH HAND MADE BOOKS.
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HAND MADE
THERE WAS A CONCEPTUAL
BASIS FOR EVERYTHING I DID.
THE OBJECTS WERE TEMPORARY.
THE PIECE OPERATED AS LONG AS
THE EXHIBIT WAS UP.
AND I'VE SPENT THE LAST 25 YEARS
OF MY LIFE WORKING ON
PAINTINGS VERY VERY DIFFERENT.
AND THE OPPOSITE REALLY OF
TEMPORARY.
THIS PIECE IS A 3 BY 6 FOOT
PAINTING OF PLANTS AND
ANIMALS THAT ARE ALL NEW TO
WESTERN SCIENCE.
I SAY NEW TO WESTERN SCIENCE.
BECAUSE ON THE FAR RIGHT THERE'S
A PLANT A BEGONIA THAT
HAS A RED STEM.
THAT IS CALLED BEGONIA LAZAT.
THIS PLANT WAS NOT NEW TO THE
PEOPLE WHO LIVED WITH IT.
IT WAS ONLY NEW TO THE WESTERN
SCIENTIFIC CANON.
THIS PAINTING LIKE MOST OF MY
PAINTINGS ALL OF THE
ANIMALS ARE LIFE SIZE.
THEY ARE IN THE CORRECT RELATIVE
RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER.
THERE ARE 11 SPECIES OF
CATERPILLARS, 9 SPECIES OFANT,
5 NEW SPECIES OF FISH, LOTS OF
BUTTERFLIES, IN THE FAR
LOWER RIGHT THERE'S A PURPLE
FROG THAT IS A NEW FAMILY
OF FROGS.
IT'S DEEP IN THE LINEAGE OF ALL
FROGS.
AND YES THERE REALLY ARE STRIPED
BUNNY RABBITS IN THE WORLD.
THEY'RE FROM THE GOLDEN
TRIANGLE.
LAOS, VIETNAM, CAMBODIA AREA.
DOING PAINTINGS I GOT INTERESTED
IN THE HISTORY OF
PAINTING AND LONGEVITY ITSELF.
AND IT MADE ME WONDER WHY,
EXACTLY WHY DO WE WANT TO
STUDY OBJECTS FROM THE PAST.
ON THE LEFT IS AN ELEPHANT MASK
FROM CAMEROON FROM THE
MID1800S AND ON THE RIGHT IS A
BURIAL PORTRAIT FROM THE
THIRD CENTURY OF ROMAN EGYPT.
WE CAN READ THESE OBJECTS.
WE CAN LEARN ABOUT THE
TECHNOLOGY.
WHERE DO THE BEADS COME FROM?
WHAT KIND OF WEAVING DID THEY
USE?
AND WE CAN LEARN ABOUT RELIGIOUS
THOUGHT.
WE CAN LEARN ABOUT CULTURAL
THOUGHT.
AND I THINK WE LIKE COMPARING
OUR WORLD TO THEIR WORLD.
THEY'RE ASKING THE SAME
QUESTIONS.
WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
WHAT IS DEATH FOR?
HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND LIFE?
LIFE WAS SHORT AND BRUTAL THEN?
LIFE IS LONGER NOW BUT WE'RE
ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO LIKE TO LOOK BACK AT
OBJECTS FROM THE PAST
BECAUSE THEY SURVIVED.
BECAUSE OF THAT REASON.
THE GOLDFINCH IS VERY FAMOUS NOW
FROM THE BOOK AND THE FILM.
AND IT REALLY -- IT'S JUST A
SNAPSHOT.
IT'S A SNAPSHOT IN TIME.
A BEAUTIFULLY RENDERED MOMENT.
THE OTHER PEERS OF THIS PERIOD
THOUGHT HE WAS THE BEST.
WE HAVE VERY FEW OF HIS
PAINTINGS LEFT.
THAT'S BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT.
HIS STUDIO WAS NEAR THE ARMORY
IN AMSTERDAM.
WHEN THE ARMORY BLEW UP IT
KILLED HIM AND DESTROYED
MOST OF HIS PAINTINGS.
THIS PIECE HAS A DOUBLE MEANING
OF HAVING SURVIVED.
IT SURVIVED DISASTER.
WHAT ELSE MAKES THINGS NOT
SURVIVE?
NEGLECT IS A BIG ONE.
IF YOU HANG A PAINTING NEAR YOUR
KITCHEN IT'S GOING TO
GET COVERED WITH COOKING GREASE.
NEGLECT IS ONE.
ACCIDENT LIKE FAB RISIA, NATURAL
DISASTER, FIRE IS
PERTINENT NOW, POOR EXECUTION.
IF SOMEBODY BUILDS SOMETHING
THAT IS NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
CHANGE IN TASTE IS A DESTRUCTOR
OF THINGS.
ASTONISHING DOCUMENTS FOUND IN
THRIFT SHOPS.
KEENS COME TO MIND.
THERE WERE A LOT OF THOSE IN
THRIFT SHOPS FOR A WHILE.
WAR IS A GREAT DESTRUCTOR.
FUGITIVE MATERIALS IN GENERAL.
MATERIALS THAT BREAK DOWN OVER
TIME.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT CAUSE
ART OBJECTS TO DISAPPEAR.
AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT
INFLUENCE IT'S SURVIVAL.
PRICE IS A GOOD ONE.
PEOPLE HATE TO LOSE MONEY.
THEY REALLY DO.
AND IF SOMETHING COSTS A LOT OF
MONEY IT WILL BE
SHIPPED CAREFULLY, HANDLED
CAREFULLY, STORED CAREFULLY.
PERSONAL CARE AND PROTECTION IS
ANOTHER BIG ONE.
I REMEMBER IN 1966 I WANTED TO
FLY THERE TOO, BUT I WAS
TOO LITTLE, THERE WAS A FLOOD ON
THE AROUNDO IN
FLORENCE AND THERE WAS A LIBRARY
ON THE SHORES OF THE RIVER.
CONSERVATORS FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD FLEW TO FLORENCE
TO SAVE BOOKS.
MY MOM HAD TO TALK ME OUT OF
TRYING TO GO WHEN I WAS 12.
BEING MADE OF DURABLE MATERIALS
IS A GREAT WAY FOR
THINGS TO SURVIVE.
A LOT OF HISTORY OF NORTH
AMERICAN NATIVE PEOPLES
BECAUSE THEY LEFT STONE
ARTIFACTS.
MASTERY IS SOMETHING THAT I
THINK HELPS OBJECTS SURVIVE.
WHEN YOU'RE HOLDING OR BEHOLDING
AN OBJECT THAT YOU
JUST CAN'T BELIEVE WAS POSSIBLE
TO BE MADE BY HUMAN
HANDS IT'S NOT GOING TO GET
THROWN OUT.
THAT OBJECT IS GOING TO GET
SAVED.
SO AWE IS A WAY TO PRESERVE
OBJECTS.
BEAUTY THE FACT THAT YOU'RE
LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL
OBJECT NOT A REPRODUCTION OF IT
PROTECTS OBJECTS.
AND SO DOES MASS PRODUCTION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GLASS LEFT FROM
EGYPT AND EVERY OTHER
PERIOD THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CUNEE FORM
TABLETS THAT ARE GRAIN
RECEIPTS AND RECORDS OF
SHIPPING.
BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF THEM.
SO SOME OF THEM SURVIVED.
YOU'RE LOOKING NOW AT A LITTLE
BRANCH OF AN APPLE TREE
COMPLETE WITH SOME DISEASED
APPLES ON IT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY MADE FROM
GLASS.
IT'S NOT A BRANCH.
IT'S FROM THE COLLECTION OF
BOTANICAL REPRODUCTIONS AT
HARVARD.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY EXACT.
THEY ARE TO SCALE.
AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW THIS FATHER
AND SON TEAM MADE THEM.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A SCIENTIST
OR ARTIST TO RECOGNIZE
THAT THIS IS A TRULY ASTOUNDING
OBJECT MADE BY HUMANS.
EVERYONE CAN RECOGNIZE THAT
THESE ARE VERY VERY COOL
OBJECTS.
THE KIND OF PINNACLE OF
REALISTIC PAINTING IS OFTEN
CALLED THE DUTCH STILL LIFE
PERIOD.
1550 TO 1700 IN THE NETHERLANDS.
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
IT'S NOT VERY BIG.
I'VE STARED AT THIS PAINTING FOR
HOURS.
THERE ARE 31 DIFFERENT BUGS IN
IT.
YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF
BUG.
YOU KNOW IF IT'S A LACE WING OR
A HOUSE FLY.
COMMON TO MANY OF THE DUTCH
STILL LIFE PAINTINGS AND
INTERESTINGLY A LOT OF THE
FLOWERS IN THIS PICTURE CAME
THROUGH TRADE THROUGH SURANAM.
THAT'S WHY THERE WERE SO MANY
PAINTINGS DONE IN HOLLAND
AND NETHERLAND WAS BECAUSE THEY
WERE GETTING THEM FROM
SURANAM IN THE NEW WORLD IN
SOUTH AMERICA.
EVERY SINGLE BRUSH STROKE IN
THIS PAINTING IS PERFECTLY
PLACE.
THEY ARE SO BEYOND PERFECT IT'S
HARD TO EVEN FATHOM.
THE CONCEPT OF MOMENT MORY IS
WRAPPED AROUND THE GENRE
OF STILL LIFE PAINTING.
MOMENTO MORY ARE SUGGESTIONS OR
REMINDERS OF THE
TEMPORARY NATURE OF LIFE.
CATERPILLARS REPRESENTED
METAMORPHOSIS.
DROPPED PETALS.
CUT FLOWERS AT ALL.
THEY'RE VERY SHORT LIVED.
THIS PAINTING LASTED 400 YEARS.
IF YOU NOTICE RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE THERE'S A YELLOW
FLOWER THAT LOOKS A LITTLE DEAD.
EVEN THOUGH DEHEME WAS A MASTER
HIMSELF HE USED A
PIGMENT THAT DIDN'T STAY.
THAT GOLD FLOWER IS ONE OF THE
FEW PARTS OF HIS
PAINTING CHANGED OVER TIME.
BASICALLY IT'S 400 YEARS OLD AND
LOOKS GREAT.
HOW OLD ARE THE OLDEST OIL
PAINTINGS?
THE OLDEST WE KNOW OF IN THE
WORLD ARE FROM THE YEAR
ABOUT 650.
APPROACHING 1400 YEARS OLD.
THIS IS A PORTRAIT OF A BUDDHA
PAINTED ON A CAVE WALL
NEAR BAMIAM AFGHANISTAN.
THE SAME CAVE COMPLEX THAT USED
TO HOW'S THE BUDDHAS
BLOWN UP BY THE TALIBAN IN 2001.
SO WAR IS ALWAYS DESTRUCTIVE TO
OBJECTS.
I THINK IT WAS NAPOLEON'S
CANNONS THAT BLEW THE NOSE
OFF THE SPHINX.
WAR DOESN'T CARE WHAT IT
DESTROYS.
BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
MAKING MY PAINTINGS LAST
I'VE DONE RESEARCH ON WHAT
CONSTITUTES A PERMANENT PIGMENT.
WHO DECIDES WHAT'S PERMANENT.
WHAT THEY STUDIED TO DETERMINE
WHAT IS LIGHT FAST WHAT
DEGREE OF LIGHT FASTNESS.
WITHOUT GETTING TECHNICAL MANY
OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE
SEALS ON THE TOP YOU CAN LOOK UP
EVERY PART OF THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEND TOO MUCH
TALKING ABOUT THIS, I'D
BE HAPPY TO SHARE THIS
INFORMATION WITH YOU IF YOU
EMAIL ME.
WHO DETERMINES WHAT'S LIGHT
FAST?
AND IT THEY'RE ALL GOOD
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT
THE PERMANENCE AND THE HEALTH
STANDARDS OF ART MATERIALS.
SO I STARTED TEACHING MYSELF TO
PAINT IN ABOUT 1990.
I DID IT FOR A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT REASONS.
I WAS TIRED OF HAULING CRAP
AROUND.
SCULPTURE IS HARD TO STORE.
I ART DIRECTED FILMS FOR A FEW
YEARS.
I WAS SICK OF THE WASTE.
PAINTINGS TAKE SPOONS OF
MATERIALS TO MAKE AN OBJECT.
IT WAS THE OPPOSITE OF
TEMPORARY.
I LIKED THE IDEA IT LASTED OVER
TIME.
I THINK THIS IS A FEMALE BOREAL
THAT HIT A WINDOW AND
BROKE HER WING AND DIED.
WINDOW STRIKES COUNT BETWEEN 4
AND 900 MILLION BIRD
DEATHS A YEAR IN THE USA LOAN.
THIS PAINTING WAS PART OF A
SERIES OF 30 OR 40 THAT I
DID THAT CAME UNDER THE RUBRIC
OF NATURE IN THE MARGIN.
IN THIS SERIES I WAS SORTING
THROUGH MATERIALS AND
METHODS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO MAKE THINGS WELL
THAT SUIT ME AND THAT I THINK
COULD LAST.
THIS LITTLE PAINTING NIGHT
BLOOMING CIRRUS WAS TOWARD
THE END OF THAT CYCLE AND I HAD
FIGURED OUT THAT IF I
PAINTED ON VERY FINE POLYESTER
USING A AND DOUBLE
ALIGHT RATED PIGMENTS AND USED
AN ALKALINE MEDIUM AS
LONG AS I KEPT THOSE IN SOLID
CONTINUOUS LAYERS ALL OF
THOSE PARTS BOTH THE GROUND THAT
I WAS PAINTING ON, THE
ACRYLIC GESSO THAT I WAS
PAINTING AND THE ALCIDE MEDIUM
ALL OF THOSE CHEMICALLY FORM
POLYMER CHAINS.
THE THEORY WAS THAT THE
MOLECULES LINKED BECOME
STRONGER OVER TIME.
NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
SUBSTANCE I'M PAINTING ON AND
THE MATERIAL OF THE PAINT MEDIUM
THAT I'M USING.
I HAD THE DUMB LUCK TO SIT NEXT
TO THE CHIEF CONSERVE
TOROF THE NATIONAL GALLERY AT
LONDON, HE SAID YOU HAVE
AS GOOD A CHANCE AS ANYBODY ELSE
IN HAVING YOUR STUFF LAST.
I THINK OF PAINTINGS AS OBJECTS.
AND I STILL HAVE THE SAME
CONCEPTUAL REASON
FOR MAKING THEM.
THERE'S A MESSAGE BEHIND
WHATEVER I DO.
AS 2000 APPROACHED AND THERE WAS
THE HUBBUB AROUND THE
Y2K AND THE MILLENNIAL, A LIGHT
BULB WENT OFF.
I DON'T THINK I WOULDN'T HAVE
HAD THIS IDEA IF ALL
THESE THINGS HADN'T COME
TOGETHER AT ONE TIME.
I GOT A MAILER FROM THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY.
WE ARE MOST DEFINITELY IN THE
MASS EXTINCTION.
I WAS -- GOT SNOWED IN SOMEWHERE
AND LOOKED AT A GREAT
EXHIBIT OF DUTCH STILL LIVES.
PEOPLE THAT I KNOW WERE FUNDING
THE LONG NOW FOUNDATION
IN THE BAY AREA THAT WAS BUILT
TO FOSTER LONG TERM THINKING.
WHAT ABOUT A 30 YEAR PLAN.
THEY ARE ALSO BUILDING A CLOCK
THAT SHOULD RUN FOR
10,000 YEARS.
IT'S AN ANALOG CLOCK APPROACHING
COMPLETION I BELIEVE.
THROUGH LONG NOW I HEARD A TALK
FROM SOMEONE AT NASA
WHO IN HIS TALK MENTIONED THAT
THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE
TO ACCESS THEIR OWN DATA FROM
THE FIRST MOON SHOT
BECAUSE NO ONE KEPT THE
MACHINES.
NOT TO MENTION THE SOFTWARE.
SO YOU KNOW DIGITAL PERMANENCE
IS A QUESTION TOO.
BUT ALL OF THESE THINGS CAME
TOGETHER FOR ME AND A
LIGHT BULB WENT OFF AND I
THOUGHT OH, I'LL MAKE A DUTCH
STILL LIFE ON THE IDEA OF
ENDANGERED SPECIES RIGHT NOW.
SO I DID.
I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO LEAVE MY
STUDIO OR WORK.
IT BLEW MY OWN SOCKS OFF.
THIS IS DESCENDANT FROM 1999.
IT'S 4 FEET BY 3 FEET.
EVERYTHING IN IT IS LIFE SIZE
AND AS ACCURATE I COULD GET IT.
THEY ARE THE SPECIES I COULD GET
TO SEE.
I DID NOT HAVE SCIENTIFIC
CREDIBILITY OR TRACK RECORD
AT THE TIME SO I HAD TO JUST BEG
AND ASK QUESTIONS AND
USE LIBRARIES.
BUT IT SUCCEEDED BEYOND MY
WILDEST DREAMS AS WILDLIFE,
CRAZY STILL LIFE OF FLOWERS AND
ANIMALS AND BIRDS.
WITH IT, I REALIZED I HAD THIS
WAY TO TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING WITH PERMANENCE.
AND IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA TO
ME.
IN THE UPPER LEFT IS AN EWEE
FROM HAWAII AN ENDANGERED BIRD.
IT'S GOT A RECURVED BILL.
I'LL SHOW YOU THE FLOWER THAT IS
THE REASON IN A MINUTE.
ORCHIDS FROM THE CENTRAL PLAIN
STATES.
THERE ARE HARDLY ANY LONG GRASS
PRAIRIES LEFT.
THE GOLDEN TOAD IS FROM COSTA
RICA.
SO I'M NOT PRETENDING TO BE GOD.
I MAKE PLENTY ANYWAY.
THIS ONE I PUT IT IN ON PURPOSE.
I LOOKED FOR IT ON MY HONEYMOON.
IT HASN'T BEEN SEEN SINCE 1989.
I SOLD THIS PAINTING.
ALL I HAVE LEFT IS A COPYRIGHT
THAT I OWN AND A SLIDE
ORIGINALLY.
I STARTED THINKING, I'VE UPDATED
THE SLIDE.
WHAT IS DIGITAL LONGEVITY AND
HOW LONG DO THINGS LAST
ON A PLATFORM.
SO THE TOP PART OF THIS LIST IS
ALL THE DIFFERENT
HARDWARES THAT EXISTED SINCE THE
40S FOR STORING DATA.
AND THAT FIGURE AT THE BOTTOM
1566 ACCORDING TO
WIKIPEDIA, I HAD TO COUNT THEM
ALL IS THE NUMBER OF
DISTINCT OPERATING SYSTEMS THAT
HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE
FOR ALL OF THESE PLATFORMS.
THE LION'S SHARE OF THEM THE
LAST 10 YEARS.
LONG NOW IS STILL MAKING ANALOG
OBJECTS.
CROSSING TIME DIGITALLY IS
DIFFICULT.
CENTRAL TO MY BIOLOGICAL DRIVE
WITH ALL THIS WORK IS AN
IDEA EXPRESSED REALLY WELL IN
THE NEXT 2 SLIDES.
THIS HAPPY GUY YOU'RE LOOKING AT
CAUGHT ALL OF THOSE
FISH IN ONE DAY AT A DOCK IN KEY
WEST.
MOST OF THOSE FISH ARE BIGGER IN
MASS THAN HIS FAMILY
ALL TOGETHER.
EACH FISH.
THIS IS THE SAME DOCK ONE DAY'S
CATCH NOW.
NONE OF THOSE FISH ARE BIGGER
THAN 12 INCHES.
MOST OF THEM ARE JUVENILES.
MANY OF THEM ARE TOO YOUNG TO
REPRODUCE YET.
AND THE CONCEPT OF SHIFTING
BASELINES IS THE IDEA THAT
YOU SEE PLENTY IN YOUR LIFE.
YOU SEE A LOT AND YOU THINK
THAT'S NORMAL.
THIS IS ONLY 60 YEARS AGO THAT
THIS WAS THE SAME DOCK
AND WHAT YOU COULD EXPECT TO
CATCH.
THIS IS NOW.
SO THE CONCEPT OF SHIFTING
BASELINES IS I THINK
FUNDAMENTAL TO WHY I MAKE THIS
WORK AT ALL.
I'M TRYING TO DO IT AS A
BENCHMARK TO SET A BASE LINE
FOR NOW.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING
ON.
ON THE LEFT IS SPECIES THAT HAVE
GONE TO THE BRINK OF
EXTINCTION AND CAREFULLY
HUSBANDED BACK OR REFOUND
IN A REMNANT.
BASED ON AN X COMPOSITION.
EVERYTHING IS LIFE SIZE AND
CORRELATIVE.
ON THE RIGHT IS GONE WHICH IS
ALL THINGS THAT ARE
EXTINCT AT THE FULL SPECIES
LEVEL.
I MADE A MISTAKE THERE ON
PURPOSE TOO.
THIS IS A FIGURE 8 COMPOSITION.
THE RESEARCH FOR THIS PIECE WAS
VERY LONG AND VERY DIFFICULT.
I OFTEN COMPOUND MUSEUM VISITS.
I TRY TO SEE EVERYTHING BEFORE I
PAINT IT SO I KNOW
REALLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND I
TAKE MY OWN
MEASUREMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS.
THIS IS A DETAIL FROM GONE
THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE
PASSAGES I'VE EVER PAINTED.
SURROUNDING THIS PASSENGER
PIGEON ARE EXTINCT
HAWAIIAN FLOWERS.
AND YOU NOTICE THE BILL ON THE
EWEE IS CURVED.
THE WHOLE SET OF HAWAIIAN HONEY
CREEPERS HAVE GONE
EXTINCT ALONG WITH THESE
FLOWERS.
THE BILL AND THE FLOWER WERE
PERFECTLY SUITED TO ONE ANOTHER.
THE BIRDS POLLINATED AND GOT
NECTAR.
AND THE FLOWERS HAD TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES AGAINST THE
BIRDS TAKING NECTAR AND NOT
POLLINATING.
IT'S AN ECOLOGICAL WAR.
IN ORDER TO PAINT THINGS
ACCURATELY I HAVE
TO RESEARCH THEM.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THE
IRIDESCENCE ON THE NECK OF THIS
BIRD IF I HAD NOT HELD
IT IN MY HAND.
I TRY TO SEE EVERYTHING I'M
GOING TO PAINT.
I CAN'T ALWAYS.
I DO WHAT I CAN.
EACH PAINTING BEGINS AS A
DATABASE THAT INCLUDES ON THE
FAR RIGHT WHO TO CONTACT TO TRY
TO GET INTO A MUSEUM TO
SEE A SPECIMEN.
SINCE I STARTED DOING THIS WORK
I'M A RESEARCH
ASSOCIATE AT THE CALIFORNIA
SCIENCES AND THAT GRANTS ME
THE DELICATE ABILITY TO GO TO
OTHER MUSEUMS AND ASK FOR
APPOINTMENTS.
AT THE BOTTOM IS JUST A LITTLE
-- IT'S A DRAWING OF
A LITTLE SHELL.
BUT I WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO
PAINT IT.
I TOOK MY OWN MEASUREMENTS OF IT
SO I COULD GET IT ACCURATE.
IF I'M GOING TO GO TO ALL THIS
TROUBLE TO DO IT, I
MIGHT AS WELL DO IT RIGHT.
THIS IS CANOPY, I FORGET WHEN
THEY ARE, IT'S PART OF A
4 CYCLE PAINTING I DID ON NEW
SPECIES.
FOREST FLOOR WAS ONE OF THEM.
THEY DEPICTED AN IMAGINARY SET
OF LEVELS IN A RAIN FOREST.
YOU KNOW THIS IS A TRADITIONAL
PAINTING.
IT'S A GREAT BIG BRANCH COVERED
WITH EPIFIGHTS AND
MOSSES AND WHAT NOT AND IT'S A
NEW WAY OF USING REALISM
TO ME.
THIS IS A DETAIL FROM IT.
EVERY LITTLE PIECE OF LYCAN
IS NEWLY DESCRIBED TO
WESTERN SCIENCE.
I WAS IN A RAIN FOREST AFTER A
WIND STORM THERE WERE
ORCHIDS THE SIZE OF YOUR PINKY
FINGER, THE ENTIRE PLANT.
I'VE MADE 10 OF THESE BENCHMARK
PAINTINGS THAT I WANT
TO SEND INTO THE FUTURE AS
BASELINES.
I'M ALSO TRYING TO USE THEM IN
THE HERE AND NOW.
THIS PROJECT IS PAINTING
BUTTERFLIES FROM THE AFRICAN
BUTTERFLY RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN
KENYA.
THESE ARE GENETIC MUTANTS OF
BUTTERFLIES.
THE PAINTING IS 12 INCHES BY 12
INCHES.
AUBRY 5.5 MILLION SPECIMENS
STRONG FROM ALL THE
CONTINENT OF AFRICA AND
MADAGASCAR IS CURRENTLY LIVING
IN SOME BUILDINGS IN THE
DIRECTOR'S BACKYARD AND IT
NEEDS A PERMANENT HOME.
IT'S A VAST UNDERTAKING.
SO FAR NO ONE STEPPED FORWARD TO
HELP WITH THIS.
I'M MAKING THE PAINTINGS TO
RAISE THE PLIGHT AND THE
FUTURE OF AUBRY.
THESE BUTTERFLIES ARE HARD.
IRIDESCENT AND TRANSLUCENT.
I AM COUNTING ON THE BEAUTY OF
THEM AND THE BEAUTY OF
THE PAINTING TO CARRY FORWARD
BOTH THE PAINTING
AND THE MESSAGE.
THIS PAINTING SHOWS A MEADOW IN
NEW YORK WITH SPECIES
THAT COULD HAVE LIVED THERE.
THEY DON'T ANYMORE.
IT'S CALLED PALISADES.
THE AUCTION RAISED ENOUGH MONEY
TO BUY A 49,000 HECTOR
CLOUD FOREST IN GUATEMALA.
IT IS THE LARGEST CONTIGUOUS ALL
IN ONE PIECE AND
PRIMARY SO IT'S NEVER BEEN CUT
CLOUD FOREST LEFT IN
CENTRAL AMERICA.
THE EFFORT IS TO TRY TO PUT IT
ASIDE AND KEEP THE
PEOPLES WHO LIVE THERE IN GOOD
ENOUGH HEALTH AND
EMPLOYED AND EDUCATED ENOUGH SO
THEY DON'T NEED TO TAKE
FROM THE FOREST.
IT'S IN GUATEMALA.
THIS PROJECT, THE ONLY ONE THAT
I MADE A SOUND TRACK FOR.
IT WOULD BE FUN TO GO BACK AND
DO THE OTHERS WAS DONE
AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHEN THE STATE DEPARTMENT
BUILDS A NEW BUILDING IN
ANY COUNTRY THEY BUILD AN ART
COLLECTION THAT'S HALF
LOCAL PEOPLE AND HALF FROM THE
U. S.
BECAUSE I MAY HAVE FOLLOWED
DUTCH STILL LIVES AND PAINT
IN THAT FASHION WHEN THEY WERE
BUILDING A BUILDING IN
SURANAM THEY ASKED ME TO MAKE A
PIECE FOR IT.
SURANAM IS THE MOST CULTURALLY
DIVERSE PLACE AS WELL AS
BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE SUCH
COEXISTENCE.
IT'S SUCH A POOR COUNTRY THAT
MANY OF THE PEOPLE WILL
NEVER GET TO SEE MANY OF THESE
ANIMALS.
EVERY SINGLE PLANT, SEED,
FLOWER, VINE, PIECE OF GRASS
IS USED BY THEM MEDICINALLY.
I WANTED TO INCLUDE SOMETHING
THAT THOSE PEOPLE WOULD
KNOW AND UNDERSTAND AND BE
FAMILIAR WITH.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO THIS YEAR
TO TAKE POSTERS I MADE
OF THIS PAINTING TO ALL THE
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES.
OF COURSE, MAYBE NEXT YEAR.
NOT TRAVELING THIS YEAR.
THIS IS A -- WHENEVER I DO A BIG
PIECE, I INCLUDE THE
SCIENCE WITH IT, SHOWN IN ONE
WAY OR ANOTHER EITHER AS
WALL TEXT OR HAND CARRIED PIECE.
ONE SIDE SHOWS THE KEY TO THE
SPECIES AND OFTEN HAS
SOME OTHER INFORMATION ON THAT
KEY.
AND ON THE REVERSE SIDE ARE
INDIVIDUAL STORIES ABOUT
HIGHLIGHTING SPECIES WITHIN THE
PAINTING.
COLLECTIVELY THE STORIES TRY TO
ILLUCSIDATE THE SUBJECT
OF THE PAINTING.
THIS IS IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED
BUILDING.
IT'S GOT A HEAD START ON
SURVIVING.
THE NUDA BLANK PROJECT WAS A FUN
ONE.
THIS IS 206 SPECIES OF SEA
SLUGS.
THEY ARE THAT COLOR.
THEY LOOK LIKE THEY WERE MADE BY
CHI HULY AND CREATED
BY DOCTOR SEUSS.
THEY ARE REAL.
NOTHING TO 20 INCHES.
HAD TO PAINT THE TOP ROW WITH A
STRAIGHT PIN.
NEWTA BLANKS ARE IN EVERY OCEAN
AND YET HARDLY ANYONE
KNOWS OF THEM AT ALL.
THAT'S MY RUBRIC FOR MARINE
SPECIES MOVING FORWARD.
NEWTA BLANKS ARE CANNIBALS.
THEY HAVE PECULIAR SEXUAL
HABITS.
INCLUDING PENILE FENCING.
SELF EJECTING PARTS.
THEY CAN PHOSPHORESCE.
THEY CAN EXUDE TOXIC JUNK OUT OF
PORES.
EVEN THE PURPLE ONE ON THE RIGHT
EATS ANEMONES.
IT REDEPLOYS THE ANEMONES OWN
STINGING CELLS.
THEY'RE OFTEN CALLED THE
BUTTERFLIES OF THE SEA.
IT'S MAINLY BECAUSE THEY'RE GOOD
INDICATORS OF THE
HEALTH OF THEIR LOCAL.
IF THERE ARE A LOT OF NEWTA
BLANKS THE REEVES ARE HEALTHY.
I MADE THEM IN REACTION TO COVID
THIS SPRING WHEN I
WANTED TO PAINT A BUNCH OF GREEN
BECAUSE IT'S HOPEFUL.
THERE WERE THINGS BURSTING WITH
LIFE.
AND IT JUST WAS A INSTANT
REACTION.
I'M CALLING THAT SERIES SUPER
GREEN.
I'VE GOT 4 OF THEM WORKING.
IN THE FUTURE I'M PLANNING TO
WORK ON SQUAT LOBSTERS.
NOBODY'S EVER HEARD OF THEM
EITHER.
THEY'RE AT EVERY DEPTH OF EVERY
OCEAN.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST
BICATCH CREATURES OF THE OCEAN.
I'M PLANNING A PROJECT ON GHOST
PIPE FISH.
ONE OF 2 MALE ANIMALS IN THE
WORLD THAT CARRIES THE
EGGS AND GIVES BIRTH.
I WANTED TO INCLUDE THEM.
I FOUND A PAPER ON THESE GUYS
WHERE IF A PREGNANT MALE
GHOST PIPE FISH MEETS A REALLY
BOSS ALPHA FEMALE HE
WILL EITHER ABORT OR SELF ABSORB
THE EGGS HE'S CARRYING
AND GO FOR THE NEW ONE.
THE NEW MORE ALPHA FEMALE.
VERY STRANGE AND PECULIAR
BEHAVIOR.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE
PAINTINGS I'VE MADE.
IT'S EXTINCT PARADISE PARROTS.
FROM NEW SOUTH WAILS AUSTRALIA.
A TRUE MOMENTO MORY.
I HOPE THE PAINTING LASTS LONG
ENOUGH FOR THE PEOPLE TO
LEARN FROM US LEARN SOMETHING
FROM US.
AT LEAST IF NOT WHAT WE
UNDERSTAND ABOUT NATURE WHAT WE
MISUNDERSTAND ABOUT NATURE.
ANOTHER DRAWER FULL OF EXTINCT
BIRDS.
THESE WERE ONE OF AUDUBON'S
FAVORITE BIRDS.
WHEN SOMETHING GOES EXTINCT
WE'RE LEFT WITH A GAP IN
THE FABRIC THAT BUILDS THE
ENVIRONMENT THIS ANIMAL
INHABITED.
WE'RE LEFT WITH REMORSE AND HAVE
REMAINS.
IT'S POSSIBLE THIS BOX OF BIRDS
MAY NOT LAST 100 YEARS.
MAYBE THE PAINTING WILL IF IT'S
LUCKY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS LONG
TERM GLOBAL ISSUES AND
MAKE OBJECTS THAT GO INTO THE
FUTURE YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE
THEM OUT OF DURABLE MATERIALS.
MAKE THEM WELL AND KEEP YOUR
DATA BACKED UP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING
ME.
NOW WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
ANYTHING.
YOU HAVE TO BOW AND GIVE YOU
APPLAUSE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TALK.
MANY PEOPLE WERE REALLY
INSPIRED.
YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF THAWS
THERE.
AND THANK YOU TO THE
PARTICIPANTS IN THE AUDIENCE FOR
SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND
FEELINGS.
IT'S A TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS AND
I BELIEVE HALA AND
EDGAR ARE READY TO TAKE OVER.
THEY WILL READ OUT THE QUESTIONS
TO ISABELLA.
AND YOU CAN ANSWER AS YOU ARE.
YOU CAN TURN OFF THE SLIDES
IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOU
FULL SCREEN AGAIN.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IS STOP
SHARING.
THERE WE GO.
FIRE AWAY.
I'LL DO MY BEST.
ISABELLA, THANK YOU SO MUCH
THAT WAS INCREDIBLE.
WE HAVE SO MANY COMMENTS.
PEOPLE ARE BLOWN AWAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH THE
FIRST QUESTION.
IT'S FROM SHARON LOW.
HOW DOES YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN
CULTURE CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR
WORKS AS A RESEARCHER TODAY.
INTERESTING.
YOU KNOW I THINK -- I STILL LOOK
AT A PAINTING AS AN OBJECT.
I'M NOT DOING IT FOR THE
PAINTING'S SAGESAKE.
I'M DOING IT FOR THE SAKE OF
WHAT THE OBJECT CAN ACCOMPLISH.
OUT IN THE WORLD IMMEDIATELY AND
FOR THE FUTURE.
I STILL USE A LOT OF SCULPTURAL
PRACTICES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME WHY MY
PAINTINGS ARE SMOOTH.
I SAND PAPER THEM.
I TAKE MY BRUSH STROKES OUT.
I TAKE PAINTINGS AND CUT THEM IN
HALF.
IF I HAVE A GOOD PIECE AND A BAD
PIECE I CUT THEM IN HALF.
I'M TREATING THEM AS OBJECTS NOT
THAT THEY ARE
SACROSANCT AS A PAINTING.
THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH ANOTHER
QUESTION.
SORRY FOR PRONOUNCING THE NAMES
WRONG.
GAUD LOPE, KIRKLAND'S ART SHOW A
REALISTIC IMAGE OF WILDLIFE.
HOW DOES SHE MANAGE TO DISPLAY
SO MUCH DETAIL AND
REMAIN PATIENT THROUGHOUT
COMPLETING HER ART WORK.
THAT'S A 2 PART QUESTION.
ONE IS I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE FLOW
STATE THAT YOU GET INTO WHEN
YOU'RE WORKING ON
SOMETHING WELL,
PROGRAMMERS TALK ABOUT IT.
I GET IN THAT FRAME.
AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD
DISAPPEARS.
IT'S A MEDITATIVE STATE.
I AM A TRAINED TAXIDERMIST.
I GOT USED TO BEING ABLE TO SEE
CREATURES UP CLOSE AND
LEARN THINGS THAT BIRDS HAVE EYE
LASHES.
YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THAT IF YOU
DIDN'T GET CLOSE.
AND I ALSO -- I HAVE A SPINAL
CORD INJURY SO I -- WHEN
I PAINT I DON'T HURT.
I HAVE A GREAT BIOLOGICAL
FEEDBACK LOOP
TO JUST KEEP GOING.
AND I LIKE -- NOT EVERYONE GETS
TO SEE THE THINGS THAT
I SEE IN MUSEUMS.
AND THROUGH HOLDING THEM AND
OBSERVING THEM VERY
CLOSELY I GET TO SHARE THOSE
TINY DETAILS THAT OTHER
PEOPLE DON'T GET TO SEE.
AND THAT YOU WON'T NOTICE ON A
WILD ANIMAL EITHER.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS.
THANK YOU.
I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT EYE LASHES
OF ANIMALS OR BIRDS.
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
EDGAR, DO YOU HAVE MORE
QUESTIONS.
YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF
QUESTIONS.
AND JUST FOR THE FOLKS HERE WITH
US, I WANT TO REMIND
YOU IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION
PLEASE PUT IT IN THE
Q AND A SECTION.
I'M GOING TO PICK A QUESTION
FROM ONE OF THE STUDENTS
FROM OUR CLASS.
THIS QUESTION COMES FROM ISABEL
REICH.
ISABELLA KIRKLAND'S PAINTING
DRAW THE VIEWER IN HYPER
COLOR REALISTIC FEATURES.
UPON INSPECTION HER WORK DELVES
INTO DEEPLY ROOTED
SOCIETAL ISSUES SUCH AS
COLONIALISM AND EXTINCTION.
I'M CURIOUS HOW KIRKLAND'S
PAINTINGS EXCEL NOTIONS
ABOUT IMPERIALISM AND
COLONIALISM?
AND WHAT KIND OF --
THAT'S A COMPLICATED
QUESTION.
YOU KNOW I CERTAINLY CAN'T
ANSWER WHAT -- HOW THEY WILL
BE LOOKED AT IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW I MEAN HISTORY SHIFTS
AS WE GO THROUGH IT.
AND OFTEN WHAT IS INTENDED BY AN
OBJECT IS NOT WHAT
IT -- HOW IT ENDS UP BEING
INTERPRETED IN THE FUTURE.
I DO TRY TO DRAW PEOPLE IN AND I
DO TRY TO SLOW THEM DOWN.
THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT
IN FRONT OF AN ART
OBJECT IS SOMETHING LIKE 12
SECONDS.
I'M SHOOTING FOR 20 MINUTES.
I THINK WHEN YOU CAN SLOW PEEL
DOWN AND THEY'RE IN THIS
SORT OF -- I DON'T WANT TO CALL
IT AWE.
I DON'T THINK I'M THAT GOOD A
PAINTER.
THERE'S AN AMAZEMENT PHASE OF
MIND.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT
PHASE YOU'RE OPEN TO
NEW IDEAS AND SO I THINK -- YOU
KNOW I'M TRYING TO
CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR
RELATIONSHIP IS TO NATURE VERY
DIRECTLY.
I AM IN -- WORKING IN THE
WESTERN SCIENTIFIC CANON AND
THE WESTERN ARTISTIC TRADITION.
I'M JUST TRYING TO USE BOTH OF
THOSE A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
DOES THAT HELP?
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERED
BUT...
THAT'S GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ISABELLA.
NEXT QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS
FROM THE Q AND A HERE FROM
ASHLEY A.
IT SAYS HOW DOES KIRKLAND GO
ABOUT PLANNING THE
COMPOSITION FOR EACH PIECE.
THAT'S TRICKY.
I BUILT -- I'VE DONE A LOT OF
STUFF TO KEEP MYSELF
GOING BEFORE I STARTED MAKING
PAINTINGS THAT WOULD
ACTUALLY SELL.
FROM AN ARCHITECT I STARTED
USING TRACING PAPER.
SO I BEGAN WITH THE DATABASE
THAT HAS ALL THE SCALE
INFORMATION.
AND THEN I DO SCALE DRAWINGS OF
EVERY SINGLE THING SO I
KNOW HOW LONG IT IS.
I HAVE TO USE SEVERAL LARGEST
PIECES TO COME UP WITH
SOME ARRANGEMENT THAT MAKES
SENSE IN THIS IMAGINARY
SPACE I'VE INVENTED.
AND THEN I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM
MAKE SENSE IN THAT SPACE.
EITHER STEPS OR AN OUTDOOR SCENE
OR A VASE OR SOMETHING.
AND THEN I'LL TAKE ALL THE
INDIVIDUAL LITTLE DRAWINGS
AND TRY TO FIT THEM TOGETHER.
SINCE IT'S TRACING PAPER I CAN
SEE THROUGH THEM ALL.
AND THEN I HAVE TO REDRAW
EVERYTHING IN THE RIGHT
POSITION ONCE I FIGURE OUT WHERE
IT'S GOING TO GO.
IT'S A TEDIOUS PROCESS.
I SPEND 3 MONTHS RESEARCHING.
3 TO 4 MONTHS DRAWING.
THE REST OF THE 6 MONTHS IT
USUALLY TAKES A YEAR TO
MAKE A PAINTING.
I OVERLAP RESEARCH AND DRAWINGS.
I USUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF
DRAWINGS GOING AT ONCE.
THESE BIG PAINTINGS TAKE ME A
YEAR A PIECE.
I TRY TO KEEP THE EYE MOVING AND
BALANCE THE COLORS.
THERE WERE TIMES IF I ONLY HAD A
RED BUTTERFLY I COULD
MAKE THIS COMPOSITION WORK.
THEY'RE TRICKY.
THEY'RE NOT EASY.
THANK YOU.
DO YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION,
HALA.
GREG, DO WE HAVE MORE TIME
FOR QUESTIONS.
SHOULD WE GIVE 5 MORE MINUTES.
I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.
WE CAN TAKE A FEW MORE
QUESTIONS.
HOW ABOUT MEREDITH TRUMMLE'S
QUESTION.
HI MEREDITH.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE
RESEARCH TECHNIQUES YOU
DEVELOPED AS WELL AS THE WORK.
COULD YOU SAY MORE ABOUT YOUR
WORK WITH SARA LOVELER OR
OTHER SCIENTISTS IN REGARDS TO
HOW THE COLLABORATION WORKS.
GREAT QUESTION.
WHEN I FIRST JUST START ASKING
QUESTIONS AT CAL ACADEMY
AND BERKELEY TOO.
AND I THINK SO MANY SCIENTISTS
HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY
GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME IN
ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS AND
LETTING ME USE THE COLLECTIONS.
AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO CAL
ACADEMY FOR ALLOWING ME
TO BE A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
THERE.
IT DOES MEAN THAT OTHER MUSEUMS
WILL LET ME USE THEIR
COLLECTIONS.
SARA HURDY WHO WROTE ONE OF MY
FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL
TIME MOTHER NATURE AND HER
HUSBAND, DAN, STARTED THAT
THEY WANTED TO BUY A PAINTING.
AND THEN I THOUGHT WELL IT WOULD
BE FUN TO WORK WITH
HER ON WHAT IT IS.
SHE'S WORKING ON THE PROJECT
FATHER TIME.
IT'S NOT MY TITLE.
IT'S HERS.
HER LIST OF ANIMALS SHE'S
RESEARCHING TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY MALE CARE
SORT OF FELL OUT OF
THE MAMMALIAN LINE OR WHY IT'S
STILL THERE.
THE ANIMALS THAT I'M PAINTING
FOR THAT ARE THE ANIMALS
THAT SARA IS RESEARCHING
HERSELF.
AND SHE'S A LOVELY PERSON AND
IT'S A GREAT JOY TO WORK
WITH HER.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT ABOUT SO MANY
SCIENTISTS I'VE WORKED WITH.
JOHN MCCOSTER WHO USED TO RUN
THE STINE HART AQUARIUM
RETIRED FROM CAL ACADEMY AND A
SUITE OF AMAZING
SCIENTISTS HAVE ALLOWED ME TO
RESEARCH TO DO THE WORK
THAT I'M DOING.
IN SOME WAY I HOPE IT SUPPORTS
THE WORK IN GENERAL
THAT THEY'RE DOING.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THERE ARE SO MANY MORE
QUESTIONS.
CAL FIRST IN CALIFORNIA WHAT'S
YOUR PROGNOSIS.
I'M NO PREDICTOR.
ALL I CAN DO IS HOPE.
THE NUDA BRANCHES WE -- WHAT
MAKES IT THROUGH THIS
ANTHROPOCENE IS ANYBODY'S GUESS.
THE LESS NICHE EVOLVED THE
GREATER CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.
IF IT'S VERY PARTICULAR TO PLACE
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A
HARDER TIME SURVIVING.
A QUICK ONE.
ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY AND THE
PROTEIN INDUSTRY.
WOW.
I WAS A TAXIDERMIST.
I HAVE A STRANGE ATTITUDE TO
SOME OF THIS STUFF.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO EAT IT, YOU
OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO KILL IT.
I'M NOT A VEGAN.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT HUMANS
NEED TO BE EATING AT THE
TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN ALL THE
TIME.
AND AS A RARE MOMENT THAT'S
FINE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE
WHOLE COMPLETELY
ANTIANIMAL THING BUT YOU KNOW, A
LOT OF THE WORLD STILL
DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH PROTEIN.
AND IT'S HARD TO EXPECT THEM TO
BE VEGAN.
THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR THE WEST.
NOT FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF PARTS OF
THE WORLD THAT ARE
GETTING BY ON RICE.
THAT'S A COMPLEX QUESTION AND
HARD TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S MANY YES.
YOU'VE ANSWERED THEM ALL REALLY
WELL.
YOUR WORK WAS PROFOUNDLY
INSPIRING.
YOU TOOK US TO THE TOP OF THE
CULTURE CHAIN IF THAT EXISTS.
REALLY INSPIRED ALL OF US WITH
YOUR CARE AND ATTENTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THANK YOU, GREG.
THANK YOU, PARIS.
THANK YOU ALL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GOING TO
BE COMING ON SOON ON
THURSDAY NEXT WEEK OBVIOUSLY.
ALWAYS AT NOON.
ISABELLA IT WOULD BE GREAT TO
HAVE YOU IN THE
CONVERSATION AS WELL.
PUTTING A LINK IN THE CHAT.
GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING
TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VISUAL
CULTURES HERE.
WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS.
SHE'S A DESIGNER AND SHE TAKES
VISIBILITY TO A
CONFRONTATIONAL LEVEL FOR THE
FASHION BRAND DAMAGE GROUP.
MANY ANIMALS LIKE TO HIDE IN THE
GREENS.
THERE'S A THING TO BE SAID ABOUT
CAMOUFLAGE.
HUMANS LIKE TO STAND OUT AND WHY
IS THAT?
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM ONE
EXTREME OF MYSTERIOUS
FOREST CAMOUFLAGE TO THE NEXT OF
NIGHT CLUB WEAR AND
STANDING OUT IN THE NIGHT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND THE
IDEAS OF DIVERSITY
COMING TOGETHER DURING THIS
LECTURE SERIES.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ISABELLA FOR
SPENDING THE LUNCH HOUR
WITH US.
PARIS, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT THE RECORDING
AND WHERE WE CAN FIND THE
RECORDING IN THE END.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
THANK YOU, ISABELLA THAT WAS
AWESOME.
YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING ON
BERKELEY ARTS AND DESIGN
YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
IT'S EASILY GOOGLABLE.
IT WILL BE UP IN A FEW DAYS.
BEAR WITH US HOPEFULLY ALL THESE
TALKS WITH THE
SPEAKER'S APPROVAL WILL BE
POSTED ON YOUTUBE.
THANK YOU PARIS.
THANK YOU.
HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON AND
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING
US FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND
FROM OUR CLASS.
AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL AGAIN ON
TUESDAY IN CLASS AND ON
THURSDAY WITH THE NEXT LECTURE.
OKAY. HIT THE LEAVE BUTTON
AND ALL MAGICALLY DISAPPEAR.
YOUR EXPERIENCE WILL REMAIN
WITHIN OUR HEARTS.
THANK YOU.
GOODBYE TAKE CARE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
