_{September 25, 2018}

What Makes Something Living?

Jenny Liu used her insights as a scientist to address philosophical questions through art.

“It makes you wonder — like the sense of wonder when you study science.”

One installation invited viewers to reflect on whether we're being responsible with our ecosystem. The ceiling took on an "inescapable" neuron-like structure, and the ground was littered with leaves and ripped money.

Another traced what we consider living and non-living, lining up organic and anatomical structures so that they flowed into one another. 

“Seeing the patterns is a subjective experience that speaks honestly about something that’s happening more objectively — what pushes us to learn more and understand.”

Jenny was also personally exploring the boundaries and intersections of her own academic interests.

“Art is a lot more of a creative process, but I wanted to uphold the seriousness philosophy and science takes on."

Creating work for her interdisciplinary fellowship group shaped the way she saw the process: "I know what I was going for, but I had to be mindful to provoke thought in people with different backgrounds."
 

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