Artist Report: Heather Barnett

SUBJECT: Heather Barnett is a London-based visual artist and researcher working with living systems and scientific processes. By blending art with cellular differentiation and organism intelligence she blurs the boundaries of art and scientific research. In “The Physarum Experiments” Barnett utilized the slime mold, Physarum polycephalum, and observed and influenced its growth patterns, navigational abilities and seemingly human behaviours. The single cell organism is attributed with a primitive form of intelligence, problem solving skills and the ability to anticipate events. It is also beautiful, the dendritic patterns reminiscent of forms seen at varying scales within nature, from blood vessels to tree branches, from river deltas to lightning flashes.

CONTENT: One interpretation is that The Physarum Experiments takes a closer look at microorganisms to help researchers understand how they make complex decisions without a brain or sensory organs. Another interpretation is that the experiments created an interesting way to create living art.