The Nat’s Artist in Residence program aims to make the rich relationship between scientific inquiry and artistic practice more visible. Larry and Debby Kline, our current artists in residence, intend to break down the barrier between the front and back of house by meeting with guests in exhibitions and presenting activities that ignite a sense of wonder about the natural world and deepen respect for the environment. The dynamic duo are currently featuring their “Camera Lucida” activity, which allows visitors to make a drawing using an object from the Museum’s collection.
The Klines will be interacting with visitors on the Museum floor, mainly in Extraordinary Ideas from Ordinary People: A History of Citizen Science on Level 3, from 10 AM to 5 PM on most Mondays through March 2018.
The Artist in Residence program is made possible through forward-thinking funding from the J.W. Sefton Foundation.
We use our art to make people think differently by posing provocative questions, challenging preconceptions, and playing with context. Humor tends to be a component of our process. Our media varies from project to project. We often gravitate toward media with which we are less familiar as experimentation leads to amazing things in the studio. We might work with traditional sculptural media or explore the potential of materials such as fluorescent light bulbs, tobacco, salt, prescription medication, mud, foam, cement, and ketchup. Our subjects range from environmental issues to civic dialogue and social justice.
We also believe that one person can change the world and we, of course, have the added impact of being a collaborative team. Art has the ability to both engage and provide viewers with avenues to see the world through someone else’s eyes. When we can truly visualize an idea, we are more apt to understand it. Our work provides commentary to our times, through works of ambitious scale and concept. While we begin intellectually, our work often has some element that pulls viewers in on a gut level, using aesthetics or humor. Once a viewer is connected on this visceral level, they can begin to engage in the conversation.