The weekend saw LSTM’s Digital Resources and Collections Manager Sarah Lewis-Newton, Honorary Fellow Meg Parkes and Public Engagement Manager Dr Elli Wright take part in an induction day for the Artist Teachers Association SciArt Intervention project in collaboration with the Tate Gallery and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). The Artist Teacher Association is a membership scheme for artists, art teachers, community artists and gallery educators who are committed to developing their contemporary arts practice.
The launch of the SciArt Intervention project took place at the Tate Liverpool where Sarah, Meg and Elli gave presentations on the history of LSTM and its collection's, the history of LSTM’s longest running collaborative project involving Far East Prisoners of War, and scientific imagery provided by Vector Biology’s post-doctoral researcher Dr Lee Haines. Throughout the induction day, the artist teachers and LJMU students explored the imagery and history of LSTM’s past and present work, reporting back to the group with ideas of how they would like their project to develop. The artists found interest in a number of themes including voyage and travel, insect wing detail and microscopy, the transmission of disease and how something so small as a parasite can cause damage on a large scale.
Over the coming weeks, there will be opportunities for sites visits to LSTM to investigate the archives, explore the historical and scientific imagery of LSTM further and to meet with the staff involved. The project will conclude on Saturday 26th November with a pop-up exhibition at the Tate Liverpool developed by the artist teachers and LJMU students.
Dr Wright said: “LSTM has a history of collaboration and I am delighted to be working with such a creative group. Their interpretation of LSTM’s past, present and future research will make it accessible to a wider and more diverse audience.”
This project is supported by Curious Minds, Liverpool John Moores University and endorsed by the National Society for the Education of Art and Design.