THANK YOU, EMILY DICKINSON | 2024—ONGOING
As both a scientist and an artist, I embrace these identities. Growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, I was captivated by nature's wonders, nurturing dreams of working with animals, plants, and the world around me. My curiosity led me to explore my parents' garden, collecting specimens and examining them in jars in my room. This passion guided me toward a career in biological sciences, and I pursued it with fervor, earning a master's and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Nature Conservation.
For years, I delved deeply into scientific research, publishing articles, conducting complex analyses, and presenting my findings. Yet, even as I fulfilled my academic aspirations, a part of me felt incomplete. The artistic spark that had shone brightly in my childhood had been suppressed, only to rekindle in my thirties. Embracing this rekindling, I returned to university to pursue a master's in arts.
This marked a turning point in my journey. My scientific background became a foundation for my artistic endeavors. I explored the interplay between art and science, addressing ecological themes and integrating my previous studies into my creative expressions. At first, I struggled to reconcile the poetic with the scientific, vehemently opposing any romanticization of nature. My early works, including an article warning against such romanticization, reflected this stance.
But time and reflection softened my perspective. During my residency at MASS MoCA, I found myself watching the Hoosic River flow and embracing the poetic beauty of the world around me. This transition was catalyzed by a book, "Herbarium," which explores the works of Emily Dickinson, particularly her love for botany and gardening.
Dickinson's poetry, with its vivid portrayal of nature, sparked an awakening within me. Her words reminded me of the beauty and simplicity that can connect the scientific and the poetic. The night spent poring over her poems inspired me to delve into her story, and I found a kindred spirit. Emily's reflections on nature's cycles, the dance of flowers in the wind, and the interdependent relationships between bees and prairies echoed my own scientific and artistic journey.
Emily Dickinson's poetry helped me realize the value of romanticizing nature. Through art, we can touch people's hearts and remind them of the beauty that sustains us. My work now aims to bridge these worlds, blending scientific insights with poetic expressions to foster a deeper appreciation of nature.
So, I say, Thank you, Emily Dickinson, for guiding me on this path. Through your poetry and my journey, I strive to inspire conservation and awareness, contributing to a better future.
Below are some ways I have translated Emily's poems into visual elements that blend art and science during my time at MASS MoCA, bringing my perspective to her words:
During the research phase of THANK YOU, EMILY DICKINSON, I selected 25 poems by Emily that depicted nature in different aspects, such as melancholy, memories, and even climate change, despite her not writing directly about it. From these poems, I started creating visualizations that combined poetry and elements found in the North Adams landscape, which can be seen in the subsequent works.
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE is a visualization of the sky of North Adams during the month of February, cold and almost always gray. In this reading of the passage of time, it is possible to reflect on how the color of the sky can interfere with our earthly human lives. The visualization invites the viewer to feel the passage of time from gray to blue, or from blue to gray; from melancholy to joy, or vice versa.
I AM THE RIVER is an experimental visualization created with bioplastic derived from natural ingredients including gelatin, corn starch, and glycerin. Further enriching its composition, water from the Hoosic River and pigments from Maple Tree leaves, gathered in North Adams, contribute to the piece's unique texture and appearance. This work invites viewers to embody the essence of the river through its material composition, blending natural elements to create an environmentally conscious work of art.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? is an installation in which the soil is the central component of observation. Here, my goal is to bring something considered ordinary and often overlooked by humans into the center of the stage. In this installation, the viewer is invited to look at a rectangular cluster of earth that constantly changes over time, drying out and revealing previously ignored details. The proposed question intrigues humans to consider whether something will happen in that space, and if there is something they should be waiting for.
9 HOURS is an installation that captures the span of my workday in the studio, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The piece visualizes my process of extracting pigmentation from the leaves of Maple Trees on an hourly basis, until the leaves were nearly colorless. These leaves, stripped of their pigments, now lay on the floor, having fulfilled their role in the artwork. Through 9 Hours, I aim to provoke reflection on how humanity continually extracts from nature, while our daily routines continue uninterrupted. This piece serves as a reminder of the interplay between our lives and the natural world, and the impact we have on it.
