Cranbrook Art Museum and Cranbrook Institute of Science Launch Artology: the Fusion of Art and Science at Cranbrook with Animal Logic: Photography and Installation by Richard Barnes

Cranbrook Art Museum and Cranbrook Institute of Science launch a pioneering collaborative called Artology: the Fusion of Art and Science at Cranbrook with the opening of Animal Logic: Photography and Installation by Richard Barnes at the Institute of Science on October 4.  The Artology collaboration presents visual and experiential examples of the ways in which art and science frequently parallel or complement each other. Artology exhibits and related lectures, films and field trips will simultaneously immerse museum visitors in the arts and the sciences. The Artology experience includes exhibitions, art “interventions,” a free film series, special lectures and a Members’ only field trip. Look for the Artology logo throughout the museum for related events during each visit.

Animal Logic: Photography and Installation by Richard Barnes presents a survey of the work of acclaimed New York and San Francisco-based photographer Richard Barnes.  This exhibition showcases work from his most recent major photographic series, most notably Animal Logic, Barnes’s engaging and, at times, surreal images of dioramas and artifacts from natural history museums. 

At the center of the exhibition is the acclaimed project Folded Murmur, in which Barnes collaborated with video artist Alex Schweder and composer Charles Norman Mason to create an integrated photographic, projected-video, and composed sound installation based on their study of starling migration in Rome. The Folded Murmur project allows visitors to enter a space that surrounds them with the sounds and experiences of a starling migration.

As a Cranbrook-exclusive component of the exhibition, Barnes incorporates new photographs taken during his exploration of the Institute’s collection of over 150,000 objects distributed across nine fields of study.  Objects from the Institute’s anthropology, ornithology and paleontology collections will be integrated into the Animal Logic experience. Bones and other life science objects will reflect the subjects of many of the photographs.  Taxidermy specimens echo diorama subjects featured in Barnes’ work and also explain and illustrate the process taxidermists use to create these interpretations of the natural world.

Birds’ nests and taxidermy specimens from the Institute’s extensive collection add depth to the Folded Murmur installation and offer texture to Refuge, a series of photographs of birds’ nests which incorporate the cast offs of humans. 

As a reflection upon Barnes’ diorama works, the Institute of Science has re-installed four of its historic dioramas, removed during construction in the late 1990’s, for the duration of Animal Logic.

Art “interventions” in the Institute’s Mineral Gallery highlight objects from Cranbrook Art Museum’s collection that reflect materials found in the mineral collections.  A silver tea caddy and candy box, porcelain and ceramic vessels, and gold and silver jewelry are displayed among the materials from which they were formed to highlight the association of science and art.

Drawing on themes found in Animal Logic, the Artology film series melds the art of film with scientific topics for an evening of entertainment. Films include:

Bringing Up Baby Oct. 23

The science museum becomes a site for romance and mayhem as a paleontologist (Cary Grant) and a socialite (Katherine Hepburn) find themselves dealing with a missing brontosaurus bone, a frisky dog and an escaped tiger in this timeless screwball comedy (1938, 102 minutes).

The Birds Oct. 30

Celebrate the Halloween weekend with this suspense classic, directed by Alfred Hitchcock! The Birds follows the trials of a small California town which becomes subject to a series of massive and mysterious bird attacks (1963, 119 minutes).   

The Jungle Book Nov. 27

This Disney classic, based on the series of stories by Rudyard Kipling, tells the story of a young boy, Mowgli, raised in the jungle by wolves.  Featuring catchy songs and astonishing animation, The Jungle Book is fun for the whole family (1967, 78 minutes).

Winged Migration Dec. 4

This Academy Award nominated film showcases footage of the incredible natural patterns produced by bird migration.  Covering 40 countries and all 7 continents, Winged Migration is a visual delight (2001, 98 minutes).

All films are free with admission or membership and air in the auditorium at Cranbrook Institute of Science at 7 p.m.

Lectures by artists directly involved in the exhibitions, or whose work echoes Artology concepts, will give visitors a deeper understanding of the intersection of Art and Science.

The lecture series includes:

Richards Barnes

Oct. 4, 3 p.m.

Photographer Richard Barnes will discuss the work featured in the inaugural Artology exhibition Animal Logic: Photography and Installation by Richard Barnes.  A book signing will follow.

Mark Dion

Oct. 20, 6 p.m.

Artist Mark Dion will discuss his latest projects on Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.   Dion’s work examines the ways in which dominant ideologies and public institutions shape our understanding of history, knowledge, and the natural world. The job of the artist, he says, is to go against the grain of dominant culture to challenge perception and convention.

Unless noted otherwise, lectures are free with admission and take place in the auditorium at Cranbrook Institute of Science.

Finally, exclusively for Cranbrook Art Museum and Cranbrook Institute of Science Members, the Cranbrook ARTravel program visits the art and science museums in Ann Arbor on Saturday, November 14.   Gregory Wittkopp, Director, Cranbrook Art Museum and Mike Stafford, Director, Cranbrook Institute of Science will act as guides for the day.

Animal Logic: Photography and Installation by Richard Barnes runs through January 3, 2010 and is free with admission and to Members of either Cranbrook Institute of Science or Cranbrook Art Museum.

Artology continues with a second exhibition, Cape Farewell, Jan. 31-June 13, 2010. Cape Farewell pioneers the cultural response to climate change.  The aim of the project is to produce art founded in scientific research, communicating on an emotional and human scale the urgency of the global climate challenge.  The exhibition is comprised of a range of media including photographic work, video, installations, and prints from a selection of leading contemporary artists.

Artology exhibits, lectures and related events are sponsored by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, The Erb Family Foundation and the MASCO Corporation Foundation.

Animal Logic: Photography and Installation by Richard Barnes was organized collaboratively by Cranbrook Art Museum and Cranbrook Institute of Science under the direction of Art Museum Director Gregory Wittkopp and Institute of Science Director Mike Stafford.

The photographs of Richard Barnes are from the collection of artist, courtesy of the Howard House Gallery, Seattle, Washington.

Folded Murmur is a video installation by Alex Schweder and a part of Murmur, a collaborative project by Richard Barnes, Alex Schweder and Charles Norman Mason that includes photographs, projected video and composed sound.  Folded Murmur is from the collection of Alex Schweder, courtesy of the artist.

Look for the Artology logo for other related events.

SAARINEN HOUSE OPEN FOR TOURS  THROUGH OCTOBER

Although the Galleries at Cranbrook Art Museum are  closed, Saarinen House—Eliel Saarinen’s 1930 Art Deco masterwork—remains open and the Art Museum continues to offer tours of Cranbrook’s world-renowned architecture and sculpture. Docent-guided walk-in tours of Saarinen House depart from main lobby at Cranbrook Institute of Science, where tickets also may be purchased in advance and on tour days.

Walk-in tours are offered May 1 through October 31 on Thursdays and Fridays at 1:00 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays at both 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. There will be no tour on July 4th. Tours last 90 minutes and cost $9 (Adults), $8 (Seniors 65+) and $6 (full-time Students with ID), while children 12 and under and ArtMembers continue to be free. The tour includes stairs and two fifteen-minute walks on our campus. Please park in the Institute of Science Parking Deck. To purchase tour tickets in advance, call the Institute of Science at 248-645-3210. For general information on Saarinen House and architecture and sculpture tours, call 248-645-3361 or email ArtMuseum@cranbrook.edu.