* VISUALIZING BIOSPHERIA *
> rachel mayeri >
Visualizing Biospheria, An Environmental Opera
Biosphere 2 was touted on its launch in 1991 as a "living art form"
in addition to being a prototype Mars colony and a vehicle for investigating
holistic theories of ecology. The project quickly became embroiled in controversy
with the "discovery" by investigative journalists that the project's
founders were not "real" scientists but rather a theater company/commune
with alleged cult tendencies. Eventually, its owner, Ed Bass, hired Columbia
University to manage the facility as a more conventional hard science research
center. It is also a popular tourist attraction.
Biospheria,
An Environmental Opera, was created by Steve Ausbury and Anthony Burr, and performed
in March 2001 at UCSD. Animations for Biospheria were created by Rachel
Mayeri as a scene for the opera. The music was composed by Anthony Burr.
"Visualizing Biospheria" would be a video installation for GardenLab,
showing loops of environmental degradation and rejuvenation, and the cycles
of energy and material exchange in the closed system of the office park.
> bio >
Rachel Mayeri is a video and installation artist whose work often deals with the intersection of science, art, and society. Her previous video work includes Stories from the Genome and The Anatomical Theater of Peter the Great (1999). Mayeri's work has been screened at numerous venues, including ZKM in Karlsruhe (October 2004), Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City (December 2004), MOMA at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in New York and Ars Electronica in Linz. She is currently Assistant Professor of Media Studies at Harvey Mudd College and curates art and media events in Los Angeles.
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