What Will Nature Do?
A collaborative arts+science exhibition to
communicate hope for climate change through the arts.
September 30 – November 13, 2021
Main Gallery
Reception: Thurs, October 14, 5:30-7:30 PM (PDT)
Art for Lunch Talk: Thurs, October 21, 12 PM (PDT)
Special Panel Discussion: Thurs, October 28, 7 PM (PDT)
A Year of Artivism | Art Making an Impact!
September 30 – November 13, 2021 | Main Gallery
What Will Nature Do? is an art exhibit about Nature’s adaptation and resilience despite the human-caused effects of climate change. It was initiated by Dr. Dominique Bachelet, a climate scientist at Oregon State University.
Many The Arts Center exhibits are learning opportunities that connect the arts to relevant topics of interest for new and current audiences. The title What Will Nature Do? refers to Nature’s ability to carry on despite the human-caused effects of climate change and outcomes that are already occurring.
“Science can give us the information to redress the problems, and the arts have the power to stimulate hope.”
Wendy Silk, Professor Emerita in the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis
Dr. Bachelet coordinated a lecture series of researchers who shared how nature’s adaptations and resilience gives them hope for the future. This base of scientific optimism was meant to inspire artists to communicate climate change through artwork in ways that further inspire people to turn feelings of despair into positive action.
Artworks for the exhibit were selected by artist-scientists Dr. Jerri Bartholomew (microbiology) and Dr. Dominique Bachelet (climate science), and The Arts Center’s Curator Hester Coucke, from a Call to Artists that specified requests for optimistic works about nature’s resilience. Selected artists have used their artwork to tell stories of climate science, change and adaptation, as well as the need for hope and action to mitigate the human-caused effects of climate change.
Thanks to Dr. Dominique Bachelet and Dr. Jerri Bartholomew for curating special speakers to inspire the artists and artwork creations for this show.
What Would Nature Do? Exhibit Curator Dr. Dominique Bachelet presents Art and Climate Change
Welcome to the Secretome
Youth Exhibition
Corrine Woodman Galleries
October 13 – November 20, 2021
A youth Arts + Science project with students at Muddy Creek Charter School and Kathryn Jones Harrison (nee: Jaguar) Elementary School, coordinated by ecological artist Karin Bolender.
Art for Lunch Talk: Thurs, November 4, 12 PM (PDT)
The What Will Nature Do? Lecture Series
This project began with a two part series of Science + Art Lectures to inspire and educate.
What Will Nature Do? Lecture Series Part One: Climate change Scientists and Their Research
A roster of climate change scientists from all over the country presented and discussed positive and hopeful aspects of their science research.
What Will Nature Do? Lecture Series Part Two: Artist and Their Artistic and Scientific Practices
This lecture series focused on artists who incorporate science in their regular artistic practices, and how they do so.
“The main challenge is the lack of human imagination; our inability to see a different future because we’re staring down this dystopian path of pandemic, climate change, biodiversity loss.”
Tim Christophersen, head of the Nature for Climate branch at the UN Environment Programme
A big Thank You to the What Would Nature Do? Sponsor
Windermere Willamette Valley Property Management
Thanks to project support from Dr. Dominique Bachelet and the College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, and Dr. Jerri Bartholomew, Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Oregon State University.
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