Science in Art: A Discussion with Laura Splan

    Laura Splan’s talk Unfolding Narratives: Mining the Biotechnological Imaginary dove deep into the complex entanglement of art and science. The presentation was part of the series Innovation Lab Lectures Lab Series, presented by the Fairfield University College of Arts and Sciences Fredrickson Family Innovation Lab. Splan showcased her various biology-based art installations and explained the thought processes behind her work. Splan’s work explores “entanglements of biological and social systems” to destabilize, refine, and reframe what ‘everyday’ means.

         In one of her earliest, and most poignant series, Doilies (2003), Splan created two-dimensional lace representations of viruses. Splan reduces the image of a virus to its geometric aesthetic elements, forcing the viewer to question their relationship to the object. A virus, especially during the current pandemic, is just as much a part of domestic life as decorative lace doily. While a doily may be used to cover a table scratch, the lace hides the enveloped structure of the virus.

         Splan’s work often has a digital element. She is a master of blending  technological and physical elements to create works that challenge our perception of the world around us. She uses complex software to sensorially represent scientific data, then synthesizes it into a digestible art form. Her series Manifest (2015) transforms recorded sound waveforms into sculptures with dimensionality and presence. While these data would typically be represented on a graphic, Splan creates a more engaging representation of human communication.

         Through her intricate understanding of science and art, Splan creates deeper connections to the world around us. Her sensorial representations of everyday life connect the science and natural world to help the viewer understand their relationship to nature. Splan’s work, especially Doilies, feels particularly poignant in a time of science denial and pandemic life.



SARS, 2003, Part of the series Doilies. https://www.laurasplan.com/doilies 


Swallow, 2015. Part of the series Manifest. https://www.laurasplan.com/manifest 


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