ARTISTS EXPERIMENT WITH SCIENCE AND NATURE IN EXHIBIT AT LA/ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
(Los Angeles, California – October 18, 2012) Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, announces a new exhibition of sculptures, cyanotypes, and collaborative mixed-media installations by April Kawaoka and Christine Nguyen. Featuring artworks influenced by nature and technology, the artists collaborated to combine technical processes and aesthetics, while simultaneously evoking new perceptions and ideas of science and the vast world around us. The exhibition, titled Scientific Technologies & The Natural World, is on display at LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Terminals 2 and 4 through December 2013, for the travelling public.
Kawaoka’s and Nguyen’s artistic approaches and processes are widely varied, from Nguyen’s crystallized vegetation and cyanotypes, a photographic print in white on a brilliant blue background, to Kawaoka’s sandblasted acrylic sheets that reference circuit boards and metal components. Nguyen’s work emphasizes the expansiveness of nature and imagination, while Kawaoka’s work primarily draws upon unnatural constructions and technologies. The parallel between their artwork lies in the hopefulness of nature’s steady growth to prevail.
Kawaoka’s artworks visually reference the urban landscape through imagery and material choice, such as plastic, metal, and concrete. Nature is abstracted to isolated details, such as a small sprout emerging and thriving. Often, this small glimpse of a natural element symbolizes humanity that Kawaoka hopes remains intact as technologies further develop and expand. She pairs synthetic and natural elements, drawn to the impact that each one has on another, physically and psychologically.
Nguyen is interested in the work of 19th century naturalists, such as Ernst Haeckel, a biologist, philosopher, physician and artist, and Anna Atkins, a botanist and photographer. Nguyen’s curiosities are similar in observations, research, and practice within the arts and sciences. Fascinated with the different terrains in southern California, Nguyen collects objects from the mountains, beach and desert, and combines them with salt crystals, crystallized vegetation, and other natural materials to create cyanotypes, also referred to as blueprints.
The purpose of the Airport Arts Exhibition Program at ONT is to educate and entertain the traveling public, while emphasizing a cultural experience. Exhibits may be historic, popular, artistic, or graphic design in nature and may arise from museums, fine art, archives, environment, or other fields. "ONT's public art display program was initiated in 1998 when we built the twin terminal complex," said Airport Manager Jess Romo. "It has been a popular program with our passengers and visitors."
ONT is located in the Inland Empire, approximately 35 miles east of downtown
Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a medium-hub, full-service airport with commercial jet service to 14 major U.S. cities and through service to many international destinations. There are approximately 114 daily flights offered by 7 air carriers. For more information about ONT, please visit www.lawa.org, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONTAirport, and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ONT_Official.
Christine Nguyen, Bones and Barnacles, Cyanotype (made with collected objects from the Salton Sea) and salt crystals, bones and barnacles, and salt.
Installation view of Scientific Technologies & The Natural World, LA/Ontario Airport.
Photo credit for both photos: Kelly Barrie, Panic Studio LA
