invisible visibility / Weather & Nature
A Renaissance Team does not mean "art or science by committee”; rather, a team can provide a critical mass of knowledge which can effectively address concepts, aesthetics, and technological advances. The Renaissance Team can be a powerful creative entity and depends upon the essence of communication, understanding, and mutual respect in order to be effective, productive, and creative. I can say with all sincerity that this group process of discovery and creative energy has engendered a loving bond with my colleagues; and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with them on these projects.
Donna Cox
National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
As our society evolves with rapidly shifting technologies, climate change has emerged as a great balancer. These PHSColograms reveal the powerful forces of nature, as observed through tornados and hurricanes, juxtaposed with artistic statements envisioned as imagined forests and a suite of flora still-life canvases in the virtual realm.
Selected works have been shown at [DAM Berlin], Galerie Arteconsulte, Panama, Fermilab, and EXPO Chicago. The virtual PHSCologram sculpture, Universal Atmospheres was commissioned for installation at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.
chromatophores
(photosynthetic organelles)
Chromatophores (Photosynthetic Organelles): detail from“Birth of Planet Earth”, 2021
Donna Cox, Bob Patterson, Jeff Carpenter, Stuart Levy, AJ Christensen and Kalina Borkiewicz, NCSA, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Diana Torres and Azadeh Gholizadeh
PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
40 x 30 inches
In the Birth of Planet Earth a fulldome documentary film, scientists now believe that our galaxy is filled with solar systems, including up to a billion planets roughly the size of our own. The stunning visualizations featured explore some of the greatest quests in science today: How did Earth become a living planet in the wake of our solar system’s birth? What does its history tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like?
This scene from the film reveals the molecular process of photosynthesis, in a basic form that creates pond-living bacteria. Each bacterium has hundreds of these round organelles, known as ‘chromatophores'. Within them, rings of chlorophyll molecules (in green) capture photons of sunlight. Step by step, their energy is converted to progressively more stable forms, until the structures shown in brown and gold use that energy to assemble molecules of ATP, the universal building blocks of life on Earth, to power the life of the cell.
SOLAR IMAGES
Solar Dynamo | Solar Interior, 2016
Ellen Sandor and (art)n: Chris Kemp and Diana Torres
Visualization by AVL, NCSA, University of Illinois
Donna Cox, Robert Patterson, Stuart Levy, Kalina Borkiewicz, AJ Christensen, Jeff Carpenter; Scientific Simulation by Juri Toomre, University of Colorado, Boulder; Mark Miesch, NCAR; Nicholas Nelson, LANL; Allan Sacha BRUN, UMR AIM Paris-Saclay; Benjamin Brown, University of Wisconsin-Madison
24 x 40 inches
Digital PHSCologram Sculpture
A PHSCologram from the Full-Dome Film, 'Solar Superstorms' that immerses viewers within the magnetic fields of our sun’s superhot plasma, dramatic flares, tornadoes, and coronal mass ejections.This unique experience features one of the most intensive efforts ever made to visualize the inner dynamics of our Earth’s sun.Learn More: https://avl.ncsa.illinois.edu/dome-productions/solar-superstorms
Double Coronal Mass Ejection, 2016
Magneto-Convection Emerging Flux, 2016
Ellen Sandor and (art)n: Chris Kemp and Diana Torres
Visualization by AVL, NCSA, University of Illinois
Donna Cox, Robert Patterson, Stuart Levy, Kalina Borkiewicz, AJ Christensen, Jeff Carpenter; Scienti c Simulation by Juri Toomre, University of Colorado, Boulder; Mark Miesch, NCAR; Nicholas Nelson, LANL; Allan Sacha BRUN, UMR AIM Paris-Saclay; Benjamin Brown, University of Wisconsin-Madison
40 x 24 inches
Digital PHSCologram Sculpture
A PHSCologram from the Full-Dome Film, 'Solar Superstorms' that immerses viewers within the magnetic fields of our sun’s superhot plasma, dramatic flares, tornadoes, and coronal mass ejections.
This unique experience features one of the most intensive efforts ever made to visualize the inner dynamics of our Earth’s sun.
Learn More: https://avl.ncsa.illinois.edu/dome-productions/solar-superstorms
oceans of change
Oceans of Change, 2007
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp and Janine Fron
Donna Cox, Robert Patterson, Stuart Levy, Matt Hall, Alex Betts and Lorne Leonard, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Yi Chao, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
James Bellingham, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
24 x 40 inches
“For the sea as a whole, the alternation of day and night, the passage of the seasons, the procession of the years, are lost in its vastness, obliterated in its own changeless eternity. But the surface waters are different. The face of the sea is always changing. Crossed by colors, lights and moving shadows, sparkling in the sun, mysterious in the twilight, its aspects and its moods vary hour by hour.”-Rachel Carson
Oceans are the flywheel of our climate and our climate is changing. Fleets of robotic vehicles are enabling the observation and prediction of ocean processes by providing an adaptive observation system for the ocean interior. In 2003 during the AOSN II field experiment, the first large-scale deployment of vehicles was used to predict the evolution of episodic wind-driven upwelling in the environs of Monterey Bay. Twelve different institutions contributed to the effort, which was lead by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. The observing system included a communication framework that allowed observations to be transmitted to two real-time oceanographic models. The resulting system provided the oceanic equivalent of atmospheric weather prediction, with all the advantages that prediction entails. The visual models generated nowcasts and forecasts of ocean conditions, which in turn were adaptive sampling with the mobile platforms. The image shown here is a visualization of ocean currents and temperature. The Sea Around Us was written by the award-winning environmentalist, Rachel Carson, whose landmark book, Silent Spring started the grassroots environmental movement and inspired the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States.
Tornado
(Detail from Universal Atmospheres)
Commisioned by the State of Illinois Art Art-in-Architecture Program for Public Installation at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The tornado imagery is composited against a unique astronomical image for each panel, juxtaposing the earthbound airflow and structure of the tornado with physical processes at the galactic scale.
Tornado (Detail from Universal Atmospheres), 2006
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Nick Gaul, Dien Truong and Janine Fron
Donna Cox, Robert Patterson, Stuart Levy, Alex Betts, Matt Hall, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Simulation: Bob Wilhelmson and Matthew Gilmore, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lou Wicker, National Severe Storms Lab, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Visualization
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
41 x 41 inches
Supernova
(Detail from Universal Atmospheres)
Commisioned by the State of Illinois Art Art-in-Architecture Program for Public Installation at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The tornado imagery is composited against a unique astronomical image for each panel, juxtaposing the earthbound airflow and structure of the tornado with physical processes at the galactic scale.
Tornado (Detail from Universal Atmospheres), 2006
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Nick Gaul, Dien Truong and Janine Fron
Donna Cox, Robert Patterson, Stuart Levy, Alex Betts, Matt Hall, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Simulation: Bob Wilhelmson and Matthew Gilmore, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lou Wicker, National Severe Storms Lab, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Visualization
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
41 x 41 inches
Milky Way and Galactic Center Region
(Detail from Universal Atmospheres)
Commisioned by the State of Illinois Art Art-in-Architecture Program for Public Installation at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The tornado imagery is composited against a unique astronomical image for each panel, juxtaposing the earthbound airflow and structure of the tornado with physical processes at the galactic scale.
Tornado (Detail from Universal Atmospheres), 2006
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Nick Gaul, Dien Truong and Janine Fron
Donna Cox, Robert Patterson, Stuart Levy, Alex Betts, Matt Hall, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Simulation: Bob Wilhelmson and Matthew Gilmore, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lou Wicker, National Severe Storms Lab, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Visualization
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
41 x 41 inches
Hurricane Andrew
A virtual photograph of a satellite image of Hurricane Andrew from August 24, 1992.
Hurricane Andrew, 1992
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Stephan Meyers and Janine Fron
Special thanks to Richard Sandor
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Cibachrome, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 40 inches
Garden of Digital Delights: Csuri
Detail, Garden of Digital Delights: Csuri, 2011
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp, Diana Torres and Michael Cone
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 30 inches
Garden of Digital Delights is an homage to five unique artists who were inspired by flora culture, spanning innovations in vintage photographic processes, such as those explored by Man Ray, Imogen Cunningham and Robert Mapplethorpe, juxtaposed with video installation art by Nam June Paik and the computer generated imagery of Charles Csuri. Each panel is part of an electronic bouquet that lyrically connects these artists with nature, featuring virtual orchids and calla lilies that are illuminated as a digital sculpture reminiscent of Paik's Garden of Earthly Delights.
Garden of Digital Delights: Man Ray
Detail, Garden of Digital Delights: Man Ray, 2011
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp, Diana Torres and Michael Cone
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 30 inches
Man Ray's solarized photographs of calla lilies not only parallel Mapplethorpe's own interest in floral still lifes, but in experimenting with photographic techniques and procedures as well. -Richard Marshall
In 1930, Man Ray's Calla Lilies were first included in his 1934 publication, with James Thrall Soby entitled "Photographs by Man Ray 1920 Paris 1934." The book featured 105 images, including the photographer's Rayographs, portraits, nudes and many solarizations with annotations throughout by Man Ray, Paul Eluard, Andre Breton, Tristan Tzara and Marcel Duchamp that helped introduce his work to an American audience. When Man Ray first discovered solarization (or Sabattier effect) like the photogram (or Rayograph) he began to work with it immediately as another way to paint with mechanical light. Inspiration struck in 1928 while working in the darkroom with Lee Miller. He described: "The technique itself was not important to me, I was interested in only the result; the technique enabled me to get away from photography, to get away from banality, what I seek above all is to escape from banality, and here was a chance to produce a photograph that would not look like a photograph."
References
"Garden of Earthly Delights," 1986, Nam June Paik, mixed media sculpture with seven TV sets, inscribed in Chinese "Electronic Garden" from the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection
"Calla Lillies," ca. 1930, Man Ray, 13 3/8" x 10 3/8" Vintage solarized gelatin silver print from the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection
Schwarz, Arturo (1977) "Man Ray: The Rigour of Imagination." Rizzoli International Publications, New York, New York.
Garden of Digital Delights: Mapplethorpe
Detail, Garden of Digital Delights: Mapplethorpe, 2011
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp, Diana Torres and Michael Cone
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 30 inches
Garden of Digital Delights is an homage to five unique artists who were inspired by flora culture, spanning innovations in vintage photographic processes, such as those explored by Man Ray, Imogen Cunningham and Robert Mapplethorpe, juxtaposed with video installation art by Nam June Paik and the computer generated imagery of Charles Csuri. Each panel is part of an electronic bouquet that lyrically connects these artists with nature, featuring virtual orchids and calla lilies that are illuminated as a digital sculpture reminiscent of Paik's Garden of Earthly Delights.
Man Ray is considered the father of process oriented photography, whose innovations with solarizing techniques revealed new ways to see the world with a painterly vision. Imogen Cunningham is a preeminent American photographer from California who worked with Edward Curtis and was a friend of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston who became known for her nude studies and botanical portraits. Robert Mapplethorpe is renowned for his photographs of male and female portraits and nude studies, and was inspired by Cunningham to capture the form of flowers, portraying them as natural sculptures with his camera. Nam June Paik is considered the father of video art for combining moving images with video and TV monitors that are often displayed as works of public sculpture. Charles Csuri is a pioneer of computer graphics art who was the first artist to receive a grant from the National Science Foundation. Previous collaborations with (art)n include Wondrous Spring, featuring an intimate floral study of color and light.
Garden of Digital Delights: Cunningham
Detail, Garden of Digital Delights: Cunningham, 2011
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp, Diana Torres and Michael Cone
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 30 inches
For fun I have turned to the unseen spots of nature–innards of flowers–and curious forms in all things.
-Imogen Cunningham
Two Callas is considered among Imogen Cunningham's most significant floral portraits, and was included in the groundbreaking "Film und Foto" exhibition in Stuttgart in 1929 and in Beaumont Newhall's "Photography 1839-1937" exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art in 1937. Cunningham's matte-surface prints of flora phenomena were also exhibited at the M.H. de Young Museum in San Francisco in 1932, which was reviewed by Ansel Adams in the short run of a local arts and literary journal called "Fortnightly" where he praised: "MIss Cunningham's art easily dominates in her exceedingly fine technique of visualization: she knows what she wants to do and succeeds in doing it well within the limitations of her medium. Her work is very beautiful and sincere."
Alinder, Mary Street; Heyman, Therese Thau and Rosenblum, Naomi (1992) "Seeing Straight: The F.64 Revolution in Photography." University of Washington Press, Seattle, Washington.
Lorenz, Richard (1996). Imogen Cunningham: Flora. Little, Brown and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. pg. 21
Passive Erschliessung (Passive Development)
Passive Erschliessung (Passive Development), 2007
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp
Gerhard Mantz
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 40 inches
Mutual Independence
Mutual Independence, 2007
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp
Gerhard Mantz
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 40 inches
Flüchtige Gewissheit (Fleeting Certainty)
Flüchtige Gewissheit (Fleeting Certainty), 2007
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Chris Kemp
Gerhard Mantz
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Duratrans, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 40 inches
An ominous yet truly enchanting virtual rainforest environment comes to life. The scene draws attention towards clustered plants, offering only that much transparency, one can guess there is a sunny world outside, but without being there, you do not know if you ever will. One might imagine wading through the water, even swimming, but this is an insecure and ambivalent area, let alone the leeches. And then it is like in these movies where the protagonist eventually comes to an exit of the cave, he can see the light, smell the air, yet the exit is blocked or barred. But here the area of the water is crucial. This is where one enters the image plane and this palm leaf is there, but too far to reach out and grab it.
Visionarium
Visionarium, 1996
Ellen Sandor & (art)n: Stephan Meyers and Janine Fron
Special thanks to Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Virtual Photograph/PHSCologram: Cibachrome, Kodalth, Plexiglas
30 x 40 inches
Wondrous Spring
