Bartalos

In the next few weeks leading up to Earth Day, I’ll be at work on an exciting sculptural project at the California Academy of Sciences. I’ll be giving new life to used cardboard by creating a 16-foot tall tree from recycled material in the museum’s central piazza. The piece, titled Handle With Care, will encourage visitors to reflect on the role recycling plays in protecting forested ecosystems. Read my full project statement here.

An early cardboard maquette for Handle With Care. Photo by Andrew McCormick.

The project kicks off on March 26 when visitors can watch me work and see the artwork grow and change over time. Guests are also encouraged to participate by bringing in specific recycled materials for me to use in the artwork. Activity details and a list of what material to bring are on the Academy’s programs page.

Come by, say hi, and see the piece take shape. My on-site work hours are:

· March 26, 27, 29, 31: 11 AM – 2 PM
· April 3: 10 AM – 2 PM
· April 5, 7, 9, 12, and 14: 11 AM – 3 PM
· April 16, 17, 19, 20: 10 AM – 2 PM

The completed piece debuts at the April 21 NightLife, or join me for a Q&A on Earth Day weekend, April 22 & 23. Times and details to be announced.

The California Academy of Sciences is at 55 Music Concourse Drive in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. (415) 379-8000. Visitor info here.

My latest Long View study takes bdelloid rotifers for its theme. These tiny animals’ presence in Antarctica was noted by Shackleton’s crew in 1908 and described by biologist James Murray in the expedition’s book, Aurora Australis. Murray was captivated by the creatures’ resilience to environmental stresses, but he didn’t know half of it. New discoveries about bdelloids have further astounded scientists, turning long-held assumptions about evolutionary processes on their head.

Get the details over at my full post on the Long View blog hosted by the California Academy of Sciences.