Environmental inquiry has long been an important part of the artistic work supported by Harvestworks. Approximately 25% of Harvestworks’ Artist-in-Residence projects engage with questions of ecology and the environment, reflecting a longstanding interest among Harvestworks artists in the relationship between art, technology, natural systems, and environmental change. The Heidi Nitze Artist Residency formalizes and expands this commitment by providing dedicated support for artists whose practices address environmental issues and climate consciousness.
The Heidi Nitze Artist Residency provides selected artists with resources and support to develop and execute projects at the intersection of art, technology, and environmentalism. This opportunity catalyzes innovative artistic expressions that inspire environmental stewardship and spark meaningful conversations about the future of our planet. Harvestworks believes that by leveraging the power of art and technology, we can effect positive change and contribute to a more sustainable and harmonious world.
The Heidi Nitze Artist Residency
Pat Badani: BichEden
Pat Badani developed a multi-channel audiovisual triptych using 3D animation to respond to bio-ecological urgencies in coral reef, rainforest, and alpine region ecosystems. Through this continuation of the BichEden project, Pat used the immersive installation to highlight the beauty of endangered species within these regions and to instigate a sense of collective ecological responsibility by exploring the consequences of their decline (and eventual loss) in the ongoing climate crisis. Pat’s collaborators on the project included software engineer and artpoet.io co-founder Mariel Martinez, as well as evolutionary biologist Dr. Gabrielle Beans, who served as a scientific advisor to BichEden.
Pat has presented her work in over 15 countries. She has been an educator at Illinois State University and Columbia College Chicago and has served on the ISEA International Board of Directors since 2017. https://patbadani.net/
Senem Pirler and Monica Duncan: Plasticity
Plasticity was an audiovisual installation exploring the shifting role of microplastics and how they are becoming an “uninvited collaborator” in the natural world. In this research and performance project, Senem Pirler and Monica Duncan revealed microplastics found in samples of human tears during grieving moments. The collaborative installation used overlaid imagery of the collected samples, captured through microscopy and microlenses. This visual world served as a graphic score for the sonic environment, a live Ambisonics performance. The installation explored queer ecologies and the entanglement between human and more-than-human entities.
Senem has presented interdisciplinary work internationally, including showings at Carnegie Hall (NYC), Southbank Centre (London), and Akademie der Künste (Berlin). She has been a professor at Bennington College since 2018. https://www.senempirler.com/
Monica has exhibited video and performance work internationally and has been a visiting artist at numerous institutions, including the Institute of Electronic Arts. She has been a professor at Lehman College-CUNY since 2019. https://www.monicaduncan.net/
Senem and Monica have been collaborating as an audiovisual duo since 2017.
Katherine Young: Mycorrhiza VI
Mycorrhiza VI was the sixth installment of Katherine Young’s Mycorrhizae series. Commissioned by the NYC-based violin, horn, and piano trio Kylwyria, it was an interactive multichannel work incorporating live processing, predetermined sonic material, and improvisation. Mycorrhiza VI was the first piece in the series to depart from a solo performance structure. The series derives its name from the underground fungal networks that work with the root systems of trees and other plants to symbiotically share nutrients, a process from which Katherine draws inspiration in her compositional work.
A Guggenheim Foundation Fellow, Katherine’s music has been commissioned by the LA Phil, Wet Ink, and others. She has taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Berklee College of Music and is currently a faculty member at Emory University. https://katherineyoung.info/
These environmental residencies were supported in part by the Heidi Nitze, whose support has enabled Harvestworks to deepen its commitment to artists exploring the intersections of art, technology, ecology, and environmental change.