I’m doing a practice based PhD which explores our understanding of emotional response in art by allowing the viewer to experience an aspect of the more-than-human world, in particular, that of an ant, through the ant’s senses.
My field is Sci-Art and the project is underpinned by a non-binary approach to nature. I am using drawing and sculpture to reinterpret and challenge epistemological traditions of scientific illustration. My research is assisted by field trips for observational drawing and expert scientist interviews to understand narrative and multisensory possibilities in the work.
I aim to generate new insights around creative approaches to emotionally engage an audience by experiencing this ant’s world. The bull ant is chosen as a resilient Australian creature that has often been maligned as a pest, and yet has extraordinary sensory and navigational abilities which set it apart from most other ant species.