CELIA AND WALLY GILBERT ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY, NY
LEARNING THAT CORN HUSKS ARE STRONGER THAN THEIR LEAVES
Barbara McClintock was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine in 1983 - an award that came thirty-five years after her first publication describing genetic transposition in maize. I applied for this residency because I was curious about the sculptural properties of maize and intrigued by Barbara’s approach to working with plants as a cytogeneticist.
Observing different maize specimens throughout their growth stages provided insight into their structural complexities and informed my sculptural interpretations. In addition to maize, I considered the other plant species that were found on the property, embracing the ever-changing forms and allowing site-specificity to dictate the morphological interpretations. My process honoured all stages of plant life, including senescence and decay. The resulting sculptures blended fresh and mature plant materials, emphasising the interplay between controlled growth and spontaneous natural variation. Through documentation, I captured both the evolving nature of the materials and the final compositions, encouraging viewers to engage with plants, especially crop species, beyond their utilitarian perception.
(October, 2023)