Sculptor Nathalie Miebach to share insight in Sept. 22 talk

Nathalie Miebach, whose sculpture is on exhibit at the Schick Art Gallery through Oct. 4. Miebach will present a slide lecture at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 in Davis Auditorium, Palamountain Hall. The public is welcome. (This is a date change from the originally scheduled lecture, due to the Yom Kippur holiday on Sept. 28.)

Miebach?s work focuses on the intersection of art and science and the visual articulation of scientific observations or theories. Using methodologies and processes of both disciplines, she translates scientific data related to physics, astronomy or natural phenomena into three-dimensional structures. Miebach typically uses basket weaving to transform her data into brightly colored and intricate three-dimensional sculptures.

Miebach collects data on climatic change?from the growing ozone hole, the ebb and flow of tidal waters, to the weather?s patterns. Using the basket?s weave as her grid, she assigns meaning to her materials; one reed may represent an hour in time or a longitudinal degree. Ultimately, she creates fanciful, intricate, and brightly colored woven sculptures, which serve as vessels for her data. In the artist?s words: ?Central to this work is my desire to explore the role visual aesthetics play in the translation and understanding of scientific information. By utilizing artistic processes and everyday materials, I am questioning and expanding the traditional boundaries through which scientific data has been visually translated (ex: graphs, diagrams), while at the same time provoking expectations of what kind of visual vocabulary is considered to be in the domain of ?science? or ?art.?? 

The latest development in Miebach?s practice includes data translation into musical scores. She chooses several elements from her personal data and ?maps? the numbers (in pictorial form) on score sheets. Musicians then interpret the ?score? as musical compositions and Miebach interprets the score as three-dimensional sculptures. Her intentions are twofold: to make manifest a level of emotionality surrounding her research that latently exist in the sculptures and to reveal patterns in the data musicians might identify, which she has failed to see. While both the musician and Miebach work from her ?score? sheets, theoretically, musicians could ?play? the sculptures, as all the same data elements exist in the work, in visual form.

Schick Art Gallery is grateful to Cynthia-Reeves Gallery, New York, for their assistance in making this exhibition come to fruition. The Miebach exhibition is open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 1 to 4:30 p.m.