ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE @ CHIC INNOVATION CONSORTIUM, EU HORIZON 2020
Two artistic residencies by Jill Scott & Marille Hahne and Anna Dumitriu & Alex May are being completed in the course of the Artists-in-Residence Program, as a part of the CHIC INNOVATION CONSORTIUM, Research. & Innovation, EU Horizon 2020
AFTERTASTE: THE MOLECULAR ORCHESTRA
The Aftertaste Project is based on the experience of learning science through the Art-Residency in the CHIC Labs. Jill Scott and Marille Hahne explore the flavour, molecular behaviour and health benefits of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybus). These artists aim to help the public discover the primary and secondary compounds of chicory and the specific healing properties of its roots, seeds, and leaves in a new and engaging way. Their project consists of two parts:
- the main interactive installation Aftertaste: The Molecular Orchestra by Jill Scott
- The film essay in 3 parts: Chicory Unpacked by Marille Hahne
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dr. Jill Scott is Professor for Art and Science Research at the Institute of Cultural Studies in the Arts, Zürich University of the Arts. She is also founder of the Artists-in-Labs Program, and Vice Director of the Z-Node PhD program on art and science at the University of Plymouth, UK. Her artwork spans 38 years of media art production about the human body, behavior, and body politics, and recently on neuroscience, ecology, and sensory perception. Her most recent artwork involves the construction of interactive media and electronic sculptures.
Prof. Marille Hahne is Professor in Filmmaking at the University of the Arts (ZHDK) in Zürich, Switzerland and Documentary Filmmaker. She is the ZHdK director of the Master’s education program. She also lectured at the HFF, Munich and at the Goethe Institute, India. Since 1983, she has directed documentaries in Germany, the US and Australia. Hahne now specializes in films about Art and Science Collaborations (Artists–In-Labs Productions and Neuromedia).
ABOUT THE PROJECT
THE MAIN INSTALLATION AFTERTASTE: THE MOLECULAR ORCHESTRA by Jill Scott
AFTERTASTE is an interactive media artwork by Jill Scott based on the way we perceive flavour, a combination of smell, taste and texture. Through interaction with three sculptural models, the audience can explore the health benefits of terpenes and inulin in chicory. This interaction “bio mimics” the sensations of flavour with images, sound compositions, film loops and additional layers of testimonies and sonification in real-time. Additional layers contemplate food production of the chicory plant and its health benefits from various methods like organic growing, new breeding plant technology and plant cell cultures
The visitor takes one molecule from the olfactory bulb representing a compound from the chicory root. This movement creates an initial sound and one can also perceive a smell from it.
When he or she screws the molecule into a tastebud on the tongue, this action triggers projected films with sound compositions to occur. Each molecule tells a different story about the health benefits of a specific compound.
When several molecules are used, more triggered film and sound loops appear and more information unfold.Excerpt from the project
CHIC Artists in Residence –”Aftertaste – the Molecular Orchestra” by Jill Scott, November, 2021
For more detailed information you can download this PDF Presentation
THE FILM ESSAY in 3 parts: CHICORY UNPACKED by Marille Hahne
CHICORY UNPACKED is an art and science film essay by Marille Hahne and Jill Scott and inspired by an artist-in-residence experience in four labs of the CHIC EU Project. In this experience, the artists learned about biochemical research into the health and medicinal benefits of plants. The major example in this film is based on chicory (Cichorium Intybus), and the film can also be seen as an analogy for other plants with similar health and medical compounds.
The film consists of three parts: Cultivating Plants, Understanding Plants and Editing Plants, and each section can be watched separately. In both art and science, communication about the future of plants and food needs unique ways to inform the audience about the health benefits of secondary compounds. This creative film approach encourages the understanding of what we eat, biochemistry research, our microbiome, and the medicinal and health potentials of plant molecules in the future. download the PDF Brochure
PART ONE – CHICORY UNPACKED: CULTIVATING PLANTS. 25 min
In this part 1, “Cultivating Plants”, different viewpoints about plant production are explored, including Chicory. These range from the cultivation and wishes of a farmers’ collective to the collaborations of botanists with scientists in greenhouse research. watch video
PART TWO – CHICORY UNPACKED: UNDERSTANDING PLANTS. 35 min
In this part 2, “Understanding Plants”, there are two sections.
The first section features THE GMO DEBATE NOW AND THEN from 1998 and from 2022, that aims to encourage more public debate about genetically modified plants. watch video
In the second section, molecular structures and their effects on human health are explored through the playful art and science installation called AFTERTASTE: THE MOLECULAR ORCHESTRA by Jill Scott. Plant molecules are like families in an orchestra; they stimulate our senses of taste and smell to register the flavor or “aftertaste” of food in our brain. Here, by interacting with 24 molecules that bio-mimic compounds from chicory, the audience discovers their potential health benefits. watch video
PART THREE-CHICORY UNPACKED: EDITING PLANTS.25 min
This part 3, “Editing Plants”traces the motivations of biochemists in the EU CHIC research project, who aim to genetically edit plants for tomorrow’s consumers. It explores how gene editing with CrispR-Cas9 might be a new form of breeding plant technology to enhance the health and medical benefits of chicory plants. watch video
VIRTUAL & AUGMENTED REALITY EXHIBITION
The project was part of the fully virtual exhibition “Capture the Future(s): OUR BIO-TECH PLANET. The Routes to Roots Networks and Beyond” had its premiere at the Plant Biology Europe Congress 2021 The exhibition combines the worlds of art, science and innovation, providing an international survey of artworks created by artists in collaboration with scientists in the field of life sciences and biotechnology.
Moreover, it is part of the Art & Science Node Berlin free mobile application using Augmented Reality technology.
EXHIBITIONS
OUR BIO-TECH PLANET: FUTURE OF PLANTS & HUMANS – CHIC final exhibition-event, Botanic Garden in Rome, October 24 – 30. 2022
Aftertaste was exhibited within the international, cross-disciplinary and unique event: Our Bio-Tech Planet: Future of Plants and Humans (OBTP), held from the 24th to the 30th October 2022 at the magnificent site of the Botanical Garden of Rome. The exposition of the two artworks realised by CHIC-ASN Artists in Residence was accompanied by a full-week interdisciplinary event embracing an international multimedia art exhibition by internationally acclaimed artists (with AiR exhibition at its center), live performances, culinary workshops by world-renowned chefs, panel discussions, and talks.
AIR_WASTE_WATER_ENERGY_SOIL, GLIES 70 Cooperative Zurich, CH, 4-6.06.2022
The complete project Aftertaste was presented at the event with around 1500 people attending: interactive sculpture/installation and the videos: “Aftertaste- the molecular Orchestra” and Part 2 of the film “Chicory Unpacked” by Marille Hahne. MORE
FASCINATION OF PLANTS DAY: WHAT NEXT 18.05.22 – 26.06.22/ Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan PL
During the exhibition WHAT NEXT – exhibition/video program/ AR app at the Gallery of the Club for Science and Art, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland, Art & Science Node presented the CHIC AIR program including the film “Aftertaste – the molecular Orchestra” by Marille Hahne and “Biotechnology from the Blue Flower” by Anna Dumitriu and Alex May as well as interactive AR app “Our BioTech Planet”.
BRIGHTON DIGITAL FESTIVAL (BDF), 29.10.2021 – 07.11.2021
The ASN AR exhibition Capture the Future(s): Our BioTech Planet was part of the Brighton Digital Festival (BDF) as an open ongoing event, promoting the works of CHIC-ASN artists in residence.
OUR BIO-TECH PLANET: ROUTES TO ROOTS NETWORKS & BEYOND / PLANT BIOLOGY EUROPE 2021
The virtual exhibition (due to Covid-19 restrictions) in the form of the original interactive website and innovative AR application presenting artworks and activities by CHIC_ASN Artists in Residence/Labs.
The exhibition was a part of the PBE 2021 Congress as an art and science synergy program organized exclusively by FASSF / ASN and open to the general public
PANELS AND TALKS
CHICORY UNPACKED Film Screening and talk – Our Bio-Tech Planet: Future of Plants & Humans, 25.10.22 Botanical Garden of Rome
During the event Our Bio-Tech Planet: Future of Plants & Humans Marille Hanhe and Jill Scott presented the film documentary “Chicory unpacked”, after the film screening the artists explained the project to the public and held a Q&A session.
GUT FEELINGS: Properties of Plants and the Future of Human Health – Future of Health, Our Bio-Tech Planet: Future of Plants & Humans, 26.10.22 Botanical Garden of Rome
Panel discussion with: Prof. Dr. Dirk Bosch (Wageningen University & Research) – moderator, Frank Fol (We’re Smart / Worldchefs), Dr. Alex Krawiec (Royal Society of Arts), Prof. Dr. Jill Scott (CHIC-ASN AiR), Dr. Marina Soković (IBRSS), Prof. Dr. Allan Tissler (Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry), Dr. Ingrid Van Der Meer (CHIC – Wageningen University & Research)
YOUR HEALTH: Wild Plants, Cultivated Plants or In-vitro Plants, the art & science panel@ Ars Electronica 2021 /LEONARDO / LASER ZÜRICH
During the International Ars Electronica Festival 2021, ASN contributed to Leonardo Garden / LASER ZÜRICH by coorganising Art & Science Meeting and Panel Discussion, with:
Jill Scott, (moderator), Joanna Hoffman, (moderator), Marille Hahne, Katja Cankar (Wageningen University & Research, NL), Ingrid van der Meer (Wageningen University & Research, NL), Suvi Hakkinen (VTT, FI)
SPECTRA Festival of New Media Art in Sydney, Australia 22.05. 2022
Jill Scott & Marille Hahne held a talk about the project at SPECTRA Festival of New Media Art in Sydney, Australia 22.05. 2022
LET’S EAT CHICque. Gourmet Aftertastes, Plant Biology Europe 2021 Congress / OUR BIO-TECH PLANET. The Routes to Roots Networks and Beyond
2-days online workshop organised by ASN during Plant Biology Europe Congress accompanying the exhibition, with Jordi Bordas (World Pastry Champion), Catharina Kankar (CHIC/Wageningen Unievrsity), Matthew de Roode (CHIC/Sensus), moderated by Joanna Hoffmann & Karolina Wlazło-Malinowska (CHIC /ASN)
QUANTIFYING CHICORY
Quantifying Chicory is a citizen science project about chicory’s sensory characteristics by Jill Scott & Marille Hahne. It takes the form of an event that explores what happens to chicory once it is eaten. How does chicory help your health or well-being? How does the sensation of chicory linger in the mouth so one can smell it and register a flavour out of it? How can the taste and smell of chicory combine to register flavour in the brain? What about its texture and its terpenes?
It is well known in science museum analysis that the audience benefits from interaction because they can explore information in their own space and time. The three parts of the Aftertaste Project are designed to open up public education about the future of food production and cause more reflective discourses about the ethical side of the relationship between technology and agriculture.
WORKING PROCESS