Bloom
by Keith Prue & Suzanna Clark, Phd
Above: “Bloom” — Keith Prue
Bloom comprises images from Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park in Maine, a location that sources much of the research specimens being studied.
MEDIUM
Colored photography on dye sublimated aluminum
PIECES
One piece
TOPIC
Harmful algal blooms
LOCATION
The Gulf of Maine
“Bloom” — Keith Prue
What is Bloom about?
When first meeting Suzanna Clark from the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, Keith Prue felt an instant connection, sharing a love of travel and (ironic) dislike of being in water. In collaborating with Suzi, his aim was to reflect the essence of her thesis, rather than understanding the intricacies of her PhD research into Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).
HABs are curious little single-celled creatures, microscopic in nature—100,000 would fit in a glass of water—but collectively dangerous and visible afar by satellites. Some are round, some are shaped like long needles (those that Suzi researches), and some even have little “wings” that they use to swim. When they grow in high densities, millions of them can turn the water colors such as red, brown, or green. Therefore, they are sometimes called “red tides.”
HABs are unpredictable, random, complex, multifaceted and mysterious. Repetitive yet diverse, beautiful but with the potential to devastate wildlife and infiltrate the food chain, they can be triggered through nutrient runoff, ship ballast water relocating water to a different location and climate change.
Did you know?
Harmful Algal Blooms are living, single-celled creatures. Some are round, some are shaped like long needles, and some even have little “wings” that they use to swim. Microscopic in nature, there could be 100,000 in a glass of water.
The creation of bloom
Their initial discussions revolved around capturing these attributes, representing simultaneously both the micro and macro elements of a bloom, the individual and collective. Elements of Suzi’s research were considered, the frustration, dead-ends, the challenge not to be discouraged, yet countered by intrigue and fascination. How Suzi researches seasonally with three-month goals, by reading literature, exploring unanswered questions, analyzing data, collecting water in sea bottles and extracting data from computer models.
After a very iterative process involving three-dimensional concepts and mockups conceived with reference to Chuck Close’s mosaic imagery, the final piece created by Keith comprises images from Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park in Maine, a location that sources much of the research specimens studied by Suzi. It portrayed the intended dimensionality, reflective of the geometric style of Ellsworth Kelly, utilizing compilation by chance, with the straight lines ebbing and curving due to a visual phenomenon known as café wall illusion.
Keith & Suzanna
To find out more about the artist and scientist who are behind this project, visit their section of the Artists & Scientists page via the link below.