TReiA STUDIOS
working at the confluence of art & ecology
THE PETRI SERIES: BENZENE (2013) is the first installation in this series that examines petrochemicals and their impact on human and environmental health. It is a human-powered photo-sculptural installation that is activated by the participant. Using microscopic images of cancer cells printed and mounted on circular plexiglass, they are embedded in petri dishes sitting in stainless steel forms in the shape of benzene molecules. The mechanism is in the form of a car that generates electricity to light up the cell images.
Click to enlarge photos.
the petri series: benzene
BENZENE is shown here at University Art Gallery, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI April 19-May 4, 2013. Very special thanks to Conor McKechnie & staff at GE Healthcare UK for generously providing microscopy images and for putting me in touch with scientists Remko DePril, PhD, Galapagos B.V., The Netherlands and Kyung Chae Jeong, National Cancer Center, S. Korea for the lung and breast cancer images (shown above); Dr. Eric Linton of CMU Department of Biology; graduate Biology student Jake Norcross; and undergraduate Art students Peter Smith, Crystal Hartman, and Katelyn Kelly.
In Memory of Beatriz Da Costa (Shani), 1974 - 2012.