Rebecca Rutstein selected as Artist-at-Sea aboard research vessel Falkor for expedition from Vietnam to Guam
June 7, 2016
REBECCA RUTSTEIN SELECTED AS AN “ARTIST AT SEA” ABOARD RESEARCH VESSEL FALKOR FOR AN EXPEDITION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Following the success of her trip aboard the Nautilus exploration vessel in July 2015, Philadelphia artist Rebecca Rutstein has been selected to travel aboard research vessel Falkor for her second “Artist-at-Sea” residency in June 2016. With the goal of making people rethink the way marine science is shared and breaking down the complexities of ocean research, Schmidt Ocean Institute recently launched their Artist-at-Sea program, and Rutstein is the third to participate. Sponsored artists are asked to work side-by-side with the Falkor science team to develop art through close and productive collaborations. As an artist whose work is inspired by seafloor mappings and geology, Rutstein’s participation will serve as the basis for a new series of paintings and works on paper.
Rutstein will sail from Nha Trang, Vietnam, in the South China Sea, to Guam, part of the Mariana Islands, located in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The Mariana Archipelago borders the deepest feature of the ocean, the Mariana Trench. Rutstein will create paintings in the wet lab of the ship during her time at sea, incorporating data collected from the region.
Research vessel Falkor provides a unique platform allowing artists to engage directly with the ocean in a new and challenging way. To capture seasonal differences in the Mekong River output, research vessel Falkor will conduct research the South China Sea in June of 2016. Led by Dr. Montoya from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and his experienced science team, the group will purposely be working during monsoon season. The monsoon brings intense rainfall to Indochina, producing large pulses of riverine flow into the South China Sea via the Mekong River. It is a critical period when both upwelling and riverine flow are strong in the area of study, so characterizing the biochemical environment during this season is key. This expedition onboard of Falkor will be one of the few opportunities to study the South China Sea before significant modifications in nutrient and organic matter loading occur as a result of changes in the river basin. The field data acquired will provide a critical overview of the state of the South China Sea early in this transition and help us better understand how the activities carried out deep inland find their way to the ocean.
As part of the expedition, Rutstein will participate in an “Artist-at-Sea” Google Hangout on June 27th at 7pm EST. This Ship to Shore Communication event will be open to the public and will allow people to chat with four different artists who incorporate marine science into their work:
• Dr. David Fries, Environmental Science Dept, University of South Florida
• Leslie Reed, Arts Department, University of South Florida
• Michelle Schwengel-Regala, Artist in Residence, University of Hawaii Manoa
• Rebecca Rutstein, Artist-at-Sea aboard the R/V Falkor
She will additionally be contributing blog posts to the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s website during her residency. Rutstein states: “I am humbled to be selected to participate as an Artist-as-Sea aboard Falkor, and am excited to collaborate with the team of scientists on board to shed light on the incredible research being conducted in these underexplored regions.”
Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm & by appointment. For additional information please contact Alicia Puig (e): apuig@bmayerart.com (p): 215-413-8893
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