A slow distillation of deep time, temperature, atmosphere, and biosphere
A hand-blown glass vessel filled with 20,000-year-old glacial water (from the Dryas period) and 2.00 ml of future air maps the story of the last major tipping point in the earth, which occurred during the Dyras period, to the present day. It is a slow distillation of deep time, temperature, atmosphere and biosphere that points to a methane unsustainable future.
Tipping Point – water to air is inspired by the oldest plant ever to be regenerated and grown from 32,000-year-old seeds — the artist explored this age-old plant to determine how the seeds were able to survive for so long. It is a time capsule of the frequency of the Earth 32,000 years ago. The seeds were found covered in ice 124 feet below the permafrost and regenerated in glass vials.
Biography
Siobhán is working with world-leading research facilities such as The European Space Agency (ESA) and The JRC European Commission to explore nature in light of current ecological concerns. Across research labs, her research-based approach pursues knowledge to ask questions about the structure and history of the Earth. She calls on notions of what is still unknown to science, exploring the Anthropocene and the recent consequences of our treatment of nature.
Artist-in-Residence at Studiotopia and Trinity College Dublin (2020-2023.) Siobhán is exploring the Anthropocene and the recent consequences of our treatment of nature. Current and upcoming exhibitions include: The Model, Ireland (2023), Centre for Contemporary Art LAZNIA (2022); Bozar, Brussels (2022) and Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris (2022)
Recent awards include the Ocean Memory Award (2022); Arts Council Ireland Project Award 2022; EU Commission Alumni award 2021; Culture Ireland Award 2022; Arts Council’s Visual Arts Bursary 2020; Creative Ireland Award 2020 and Climate Whirl Arts Programme Helsinki 2021.
Recent shows include BOZAR, Brussels, 2020; Deutsches Hygiene-Museum DHMD, 2020; Volta, Basel 2019; Limerick City Art Gallery, 2019; Deutsches Hygiene-Museum DHMD, 2019; The National Trust Fox Talbot Museum, UK, 2018; Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, 2018 among others. Her work is represented in many collections, both public and private such as The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Allied Irish Banks, Bank of Ireland, The Ulster Museum and Trinity College Dublin. Her projects are supported by The European Commission, The Institute of Physics, Culture Ireland, The Arts Council and The European Research Council.
Credits
Dr Robert Mulvaney (UK), glaciologist and Science Leader of the Ice Dynamics and Palaeoclimate team at British Antarctic Survey.
Professor Jennifer McElwain (IE) holds the 1711 Chair of Botany at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Natural Sciences.
Professor Margit Laimer (AT), Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna.
Water to Air was commissioned by Gluon within the framework of STUDIOTOPIA, a project co-funded by Creative Europe Program of the European Union. With the kind support of VIB and National Culture and Arts Foundation. With the kind support of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, and the Brussels Capital-Region, The Joint Research Centre, JRC SciArt project of the European Commission, Arts Council of Ireland Project Award, Trinity College Dublin, Culture Ireland and Creative Ireland Award.
STUDIOTOPIA is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
