A marriage of science and art

This story comes from Gayle Storey, a student at the University of Bedfordshire on the National Lottery-funded Testbeds programme.

"I am currently a TestBeds Artist at the University of Bedfordshire. I hope to start a unique collaboration between science and art that gathers scientific research and uses it to create a range of artistic output in January 2018 with partnerships between University of Bedfordshire, Luton Music Mix, and the possibility of performing at Picnic in the Park and further arts event National and internationally. 

I will apply the practical observation of Charles Darwin’s  ‘Movement in Plants’ theory into practice, turning the movement of plants into art, music and performance work, capturing the natural surroundings of Luton and depicting the Luton environment through art and science. In brief, I will track how plants move through the day at a number of sites across Luton, and then use this data to create a Musical Score for Luton.  

The biological substance of Luton town’s environment will give its own unique ‘bio orchestrated’ musical score. This is totally unique and has never been produced before until now, and can be adapted to many city or town for interrelation or national viewing. 

I propose to take plant observations in March  2018, (20th March Summer Equinox), I will take readings of the movement of plants over 12 days at 12 specific locations at 12 places of importance in and around Luton.

Observations consist of tracking the plants via a marker affixed to the leaves, ‘dotting’ the position of the marker every hour  for 12 hours onto a flat pane of glass. 

 I will then transpose the array of dots from the many different sites across Luton into a combination of drawn lines, combining the data to create a set of lines to be used in the production of a range of participatory artworks.  The line is an artwork within itself and is borne of an organic structure and its intuitive response to light, the adjustment a plant makes to the environment to gain optimum growth. 

I will then transpose the array of dots from the many different sites across Luton into a combination of drawn lines, combining the data to create a set of lines to be used in the production of a range of participatory artworks.  

The musical score will be developed into a collaborative performance with students from Luton. It will be rehearsed and performed by pupils (all from Luton schools) with possible performance opportunities at “Picnic in the Park” and “Imagine Luton” 2018, with the possibility of inclusions of Luton Choral Society and Luton Symphony Orchestra. I hope to arrange for young musicians from one of London's Music Conservatoires to attend rehearsals and final performances with Luton Music Mix to encourage the learners and work along side the young musician from Luton. 

This inventive and original method, allows the environment to dictate how the artist responds, reversing the methodology of an artist."