|
Tracy Hicks has a long record of successful
exhibit installations. Using museum jars and
scientific specimens, his recent work has focused
on cultural interpretations of environmental
and conservation themes. Hicks’ art thus
interrogates the practice of collecting and
blurs the line between scientific inquiry and
artistic expression.
Listen
to KPR Commentary
Visit
Tracy Hick's Website
|
Marjorie Swann, associate
professor of English, and John Simmons, director
of the Museum Studies Program and collections
manager for the herpetology collection at the
University of Kansas Natural History Museum,
secured a grant from the Museum Loan Network
which made possible the receipt of a loan of
Asian amphibians from The Field Museum in Chicago.
By creating and displaying molds and casts
of these creatures, Hicks explores how scientific
specimens become cultural objects when they
are collected and preserved. The installation
will also include photographs, original field
notes, and equipment used to collect specimens
in the field.
According to John Simmons of the Natural History
Museum, “This project will allow audiences
to gain a better understanding of how science
and culture interact in processes of collecting.”
|
