Nathalie Miebach

I’ve always thought through my hands. They have been my primary vehicle to understand the world around me. When I am trying to learn something new, I build things, I take things apart, and I tinker with objects in order to understand. For this reason, it felt natural that when I became interested in science, I would turn to sculpture as my partner.

I use sculpture to explore the intersection of art and science by translating scientific data related to meteorology, ecology and oceanography into woven sculptures and musical scores/ performances. My main method of data translation is that of basket weaving, which functions as a simple, tactile grid through which to interpret data into 3D space.Central to this work is my desire to explore the role visual and musical aesthetics play in the translation and understanding of complex scientific systems, such as weather. By utilizing artistic processes and everyday materials, I am questioning and expanding the traditional boundaries through which science data has been visually translated (ex: graphs, diagrams), while at the same time provoking expectations of what kind of visual vocabulary is considered to be in the domain of ‘science’ or ‘art’.