Installations
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About the Project
Native Rock Bee
Apis dorsata
Introduced European Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Native Indian Hive Bee
Apis cerana indica
"The Bloodline of Floriculture" - Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
It is unequivocally clear that humans are impacting our environments at an unforeseeable scale. We require dramatic cultural renewal to provide convincing grounds on which humankind can justify the transition towards a more environmentally optimal society. A Mind's Meadow: Beauty Beyond Suppression, is a science-based art project that alludes to the disassociation of pace and relativity from the epidemic of environmental issues occurring globally and what we experience in our daily lives. Embedded in each constructed image are environmental themes researched while I studied abroad in China, India, and back home in the Pacific Northwest.
For my medium, I superimposed drawings on photographs to contrast the objectivity of my photography and the subjectivity of environmental themes I sought to illustrate. In a series of over 20 pieces (and growing), my work contextualizes issues of waste, sustainability, urban development, and the intersections between them. From landscape alterations to plastic pollution, these visuals were intended to raise environmental awareness of the complexities of our systems and provoke moral inquiry.
In conjunction with the research that inspired these pieces, “A Mind’s Meadow” served as an experiment to supplement my undergraduate thesis on the effectiveness of sci-art at the University of Washington. I explored the implications of this medium in fostering a more environmentally conscious society by conducting a qualitative analysis of three sci-art case studies to methodologically identify the rhetoric and environmental philosophies present in the field. Read more about my justification for this work and my research findings in “Synthesis”.
General Process
*The steps in which they occur are interchangeable.
Research
Photography
Ink Drawings
Final Piece
To everyone,
Thank you!
I truly appreciate my site supervisor, Sara Breslow, who has been my go-to for this project even while abroad, and to Joshua Lawler and the Center for Creative Conservation for believing in my work. I would also like to thank my faculty adviser, Kristi Straus, who also co-directed the Sustainability in US and China program with Wei Zou. Shoutout to ILK Consultancy for their expertise and hospitality in Bengaluru. To the director of the Grand Challenges Impact Lab program, Julian Marshall, thank you for such a unique experience. To Hasiru Dala and Nalini Shakar, thank you for such an immersive internship, your leadership is inspiring. And to all other associated partners, institutions, and individuals that made this project abroad in Beijing and Bangalore possible, I thank you as well. Thank you to the students I connected with abroad at Tsinghua University and St. Josephs College, and my cohort in the Program on the Environment at the University of Washington. Lastly, I want to thank my family, friends, and partner for supporting my work and convincing me I did a good job. Everyone is the best and deserves more appreciation than I can give.
May 24th, 2018. Held outside Fisheries during the Hippie Hangout. Wood board originated from a twin-sized bed at my family home. Photo: Victor Ung
A photo taken during my capstone presentation. Photo: Rick Keil.
April 20th, 2018. Held at Red Square.
May 24th, 2018. Held outside Fisheries during the Hippie Hangout. Wood board originated from a twin-sized bed at my family home. Photo: Victor Ung
About me
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington USA, I will always call the Pacific Northwest my home. I am grateful to have had the opportunities to experience a variety of landscapes, countries, and cultures throughout my undergraduate experience. This project embodies my many passions; I strive to show unique perspectives and tell meaningful stories about science and the environment through my art.
Don't hesitate to reach out and say hello, or to inquire about working with myself. Let's create something special!
Email: ungstyler@gmail.com
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