Art Meets Science
Science is art
The works I exhibited as a featured artist in Artsweek 2019 were inspired by exercises done in small scale, exploring abstract forms and repetition.
2,000 Influenza Viruses, 2019
Pen and ink on paper
42.0 x 59.4 cm
The influenza virus is technically not a life-form as it cannot reproduce without a host.
Random input was generated while exercising at the gym to create spontaneous glitches: lack of motor control caused by muscle fatigue between sets, pen and planar disturbance caused by riding a static bicycle, and loss of fine detail caused by not wearing reading glasses.
1,000 Spermatozoa, 2019
Pen on paper
42.0 x 59.4 cm
Human spermatozoa (12 of the 1900 sperm in the mandala exhibit abnormal morphology through head size, tail size, and double heads or tails; with just 0.006% sperm exhibiting such deviation this is well below the normal rate of 4-14%) have not, as yet, been seen spontaneously generating mandalas but might well do in an infinite universe.
2,316 Escherichia coli, 2019
Pen on paper
42.0 x 59.4 cm
Escherichia coli, several of which are undergoing mitosis.
With a generous eye and a fondness for making meaning, some of the drawings could be said to resemble microscopic unicellular organisms. After researching said organisms – with assistance from Google and my flatmate Chris (who is studying for a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Sydney) – five single-celled “life-forms” were selected to develop into large-scale small-scale pen (and sometimes ink) cartoons.
4,000 Green Algae, 2019
Pen on paper
42.0 x 59.4 cm
Green algae form long chains as the cells divide.
800 Paramecia, 2019
Pen and ink on paper
42.0 x 59.4 cm
Paramecia (800 cells with a mean average of 29 flagella means the image includes some 23,200 flagella).
Matti Doing Art 