The Jaume Terradas artistic research residency returns for a second edition driven by ECOTONS, the centre's art and science group. The first edition already proved the formula works, turning carbon and time into a fable. This time, a shared interest in studying water in plants through minimally invasive technologies has been the meeting point that kicks off the collaboration between researchers Kate Johnson and Marc Busuldu and artists María Castellanos and Alberto Valverde.
As in the previous edition, the residency was born from a careful curatorial process that, over several months, sought the most honest connection between a research group at the centre and a selection of artists. This process was led by Paula Bruna, environmental scientist and artist, who will once again accompany the participants throughout their months of collaboration.
In this second edition we're consolidating the residency. Last year we still had doubts about what might happen. Now we know for certain that it's possible, that it works, and we can expect a two-way collaboration at a conceptual, methodological and technological level.
Paula Bruna, curator of the Jaume Terradas artistic research residency
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN
The art of doing science without doing harm
In her day-to-day work in the lab, Kate Johnson studies how plants respond to extreme climates, such as droughts or freezing temperatures. To do this, she uses microscopic-level imaging techniques, such as cavitation imaging cameras and X-rays. Marc Busuldu, for his part, aims to improve the algorithms used to estimate the water status of forests from remote sensing images, such as those captured by satellites or drones. For now, he spends hours on end in the lab studying how different leaves react when exposed to electromagnetic pulses, depending on the proportion of tissue, water, and air in each one. Both work at different scales, but they share a common philosophy: to avoid, as far as possible, harming the plant they study.
The search for artists with a similar sensitivity to observing the plant world led, during the curatorial process, to María Castellanos and Alberto Valverde. They have been working together since 2009, particularly on artistic research processes that involve interaction with scientists. While María holds a PhD in Fine Arts, Alberto is also a technologist who works with mathematical and predictive models.
"What excites us most about this residency is building knowledge through a dialogue between art and science. We're interested in the exchange being reciprocal: for scientific research to inspire and transform our artistic practice, but also for the artistic process to bring new perspectives to scientific research. We hope this encounter generates new questions and opens up new paths of exploration."
Frozen Liriodendron tulipifera , part of studies on the response of plants to extreme climates. Image: Kate Johnson
Cross-section of an Allocasuarina branch obtained using synchrotron technology, one of the non-invasive imaging techniques. Image: Kate Johnson
Marc Busuldu next to the DAK-TL2, his work tool in the laboratory. Image: Marc Busuldu
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN
The exchange is already underway.
Interaction between the two teams has only just begun, but it's already intense. The resident artists are discovering the cameras used by Kate and analysing the large amount of data collected by Marc. As was the case last year, it's still too early to know which direction the residency will take, but it's already clear that a two-way exchange is happening.
Art and science can be viewed as similar in a lot of ways, as research-focused and deeply creative pursuits that aim to communicate messages and ideas. However, the unique perspective that scientists and artists bring to their respective work makes collaborations like this exciting and mutually beneficial, as they bring us out of our usual ways of thinking. I look forward to continuing to work with Marc, Maria and Alberto to explore, understand and showcase the marvel of plants in new and imaginative ways.
Kate JOHNSON, CREAF researcher
Ever since I found out that CREAF had launched this artistic residency, I knew I wanted to be part of it. I believe the exchange between the scientific and artistic worlds that it allows can hold real potential for research in both fields. Specifically, I think approaching the same reality from different angles can produce different, complementary perspectives that, together, can be very valuable. Now that a year has passed since I started my PhD and I have a clear line of research, I felt it was the right moment. I'm very grateful to Paula Bruna for selecting Kate Johnson and me as CREAF researchers, and María Castellanos and Alberto Valverde as artists. I believe that combining our research with their previous experience collaborating with other scientific institutions, together with their work based on mathematical modelling, can result in something truly extraordinary.
MARC BUSULDU, CREAF researcher
From now on, everyone involved will meet regularly and begin a highly enriching learning process, guided by Paula Bruna, which will run until the end of 2026.
