Way Cool!
January 7 – February 11, 2007
Art Science Poetry On Ice
On Ice
Henry David Thoreau wrote, “Ice is a fit subject for contemplation.” Throughout history, ice has fascinated scientists, artists, and explorers. Nineteenth-century landscape naturalists depicted icy scenes, and the surrealists used it as a frosty vehicle for their poetic visions. In nature, ice appears as beautiful—and sometimes dangerous—crystals, glaciers, icebergs, icicles, and ice floes. Humans manipulate and investigate it for their own reasons: manufacturers produce ice cubes; artists create ice sculptures, and even ice hotels; musicians incorporate the sounds of melting ice into their compositions; scientists explore its properties. This exhibition will present the work of artists, poets, writers, and scientists who find ice a “fit subject” of their contemplations, or as the fleeting medium for their work.
Kathy Bruce, Curator
Essay
Read the press release.
Read Kathy Bruce’s essay
ART: Pat Badt & Scott Sherk, Douglas Beube, Bill Bonner, Paula Chamlee, Mark Cohen, Patricia Delluva, Abigail Doan, Patricia J. Goodrich, Mineko Grimmer, Michael Grothusen, Jesse Hamilton, Mary Allessio Leck, Ellen K. Levy, Stacy Levy, Nora Ligorano & Marshall Reese, Nava Lubelski, Gerald Nichols, E. Nuevo, Tara O’Brien, Scott Peterman, Daisuke Shintani, Herbert B. Simon, Michael A. Smith, Buzz Spector, Atsuko Tajima, Robert Walch, and Krzysztof Zarebski; Curator, Kathy Bruce. Checklist
Poetry: Liz Abrams-Morley, Barbara Crooker, Patricia J. Goodrich, Marilyn Hazelton, and Kelley Jean White; Poetry consultant, Marilyn Hazelton
Ice: Definitions, idoms, and slang.
ICE FLOW, COLLABORATIVE BOOK: Kathy Agostinelli, Berendina Buist, Jane Caruso, Barbara Crooker, James Feely, Dale Gibbons, M.J. Fitzwater, Ltd., Charles Hanson, Marilyn Hazelton, Bea Kool, Alice Kwiatkowski, Elinor Levy, Jacqueline Lima, Marya, Cliff Reiter, Nancy Scott, Marilyn Smith, David Sunderlin, Liz Abrams-Morley, and Kelley Jean White; Curator, Maryann Riker
SCIENCE: Robert S. Anderson, Edward Lozowksi,Cliff Reiter, Catherine A. Riihimaki, and David Sunderlin
Edward Lozowski’s Ice Spike Video
a schedule of related activities
Exhibitions
January 3 – February 11, Williams Center Gallery
On Ice
Henry David Thoreau wrote, “Ice is a fit subject for contemplation”; On Ice, curated by Kathy Bruce, showcases works by national and regional artists, poets, and scientists who agree with him.
Closing reception with special icy events will be February 11, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
January 23 – July, Lass Gallery, Skillman Library
Mallarme’s Swan: Frozen in Word and Image. A series of photographs by Kathy Bruce based on the sonnet La Cygne (The Swan) by Stephane Mallarme in which a swan is caught and trapped in the frozen ice of winter.
Readings, Workshops
Demonstrations, Films
January 7, 1:30 p.m. Williams Center Lobby
Readings from Collaborative Artists’ book Ice Flow
Readings by M.J. Fitzwater, Maryann Riker, Alice Kwiatkowski, Marya, and Nancy Scott followed by a reception. This reading is part of First Weekend Easton activities.
January 14, 3:00 p.m. Williams Center Gallery
Entering the Conversation
After seeing On Ice, explore the personal and political aspects of the coldest, hardest phase of water through this workshop. Participants will respond to visual art and poetry by writing phrases that can be used for poems, letters, diary entries. Facilitated by poet/educator Marilyn Hazelton whose work has been published nationally and internationally.
January 21, 3:00 p.m. Williams Center Lobby
On Ice Poetry Reading
Liz Abrams-Morley, Barbara Crooker, Patricia Goodrich, Marilyn Hazelton, and Kelley Jean White.
January 28, 3:00 p.m. Williams Center Gallery
Entering the Conversation
See January 14 for description. Free of charge, registration required, all ages welcome.
Landis Lecture
Monday, January 29, 8:00 p.m. Williams Center 108
Ornithologist George Divoky: “Watching the Arctic Melt Away: Three Decades of Change from a Warming Globe.”
Dr. George Divoky, Research Associate at the Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska–Fairbanks, and director of Friends of Cooper Island has been praised for his landmark study of the black guillemot (a relative of the puffin). For over 30 years he has spent three months each summer on Cooper Island, Alaska, at the edge of the Arctic Sea ice.Divoky has observed the effects of global warming on the Arctic habitat as ice has melted extensively and earlier each year, forcing the black guillemot’s food sources further north. He has measured the resulting decline in bird population in addition to changes in the ecology of that region. These observations on recent changes in seabird populations provide compelling evidence of the rate of warming and melt at high latitudes. Divoky’s work was featured in a New York Times Magazine cover story by Darcy Frey in 2002. Frey’s article was included in The Best American Science Writing 2002.Post-lecture reception co-sponsored by Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection.
February 1, 7:00 p.m., Limburg Theater, Farinon Center
Film: An Inconvenient Truth
Jamie Perkins, who will introduce the film, recently returned from a four-day training session with Al Gore’s Climate Project, to become a “climate change messenger” in order to give presentations about global warming issues. Presented by LEAP.
February 8, 12:15, Williams Center Lobby
Ice Theremin Demonstration
Students will demonstrate an ice theremin—a melodic electronic musical instrument that uses a conductive glove and ice to complete a (harmless) electrical circuit to produce audible tones.
The team includes Marquis Scholar Sean Nowlan ’07 (Haddon Heights, N.J.), an electrical and computer engineering major; Taha Jiwaji ’08 (Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania), who is pursuing a B.S. electrical and computer engineering and A.B. with a major in economics and business; Serdar Benderli ’08 (Ankara, Turkey), who is pursuing a B.S. electrical and computer engineering and A.B. with a major in economics and business; and Marquis Scholar Katie Pitz ’08 (Millers, Md.), a mechanical engineering major.
Biology major Jonathan Esser ’09 (Downingtown, Pa.) is composing a musical piece to be played on the theremin. There will be a performance of his composition at the exhibit’s closing reception 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11 in the Williams Center lobby.
February 9, 5:00 p.m., Williams Center Lobby
Glacier Flow Demonstration & Illustrated Talk
Using flowing plaster of Paris, Assistant Professor of Geology David F. Sunderlin and students will model alpine glaciers flow and morphology. Pizza and icy treats will be served.
February 16-20, Limburg Theater, Farinon Center, Friday & Saturday 7 p.m. & 10 p.m; Sunday-Tuesday 10 p.m.
Film: Happy Feet
Presented by the Lafayette Activities Forum, LAF.
HAPPENINGS
February 11, 4:30, Williams Center Lobby
Student Ice Theremin Performance