Invention, in science or any other field of thought, comes from the exchange of ideas between disciplines. Isolation is stagnation and death; only by throwing open one's doors does genuine creativity become possible. The philosopher Michel Serres compared these areas of intermingling disciplines to trade routes, like the Northwest Passage-- confluences of wild ideas and adventure that make growth possible. Without these exchanges, there is only isolation.

Fueled by a lifelong passion for science, I have positioned my practice in such an confluence. I am in an exchange between the supposedly objective world of science and the supposedly subjective world of art. My work consists of mixed media installations, sculptures, drawings, diagrams, and performances. I am drawn to complexity, to big, bold subjects: the colonization of space, the origins of life, the connections between physics and philosophy. Subjects that cast a wide net into the world.

Each piece has its roots in current or historical scientific research. From there, it twists and branches until it touches on a variety of fields. As it grows, a narrative takes shape, providing structure to the concept and helping to ground the viewer in strange, likely unfamiliar surroundings. However, the narrative is often an unreliable one. Ambiguity and contradiction abound. These works are not imitations of their sources; they are unique thought experiments through which the audience must reach their own conclusions.

My own process of invention is driven by an exchange of ideas as well, a back-and-forth between making, writing, and research that develops slowly, adding complexity with each stage. Though every project is partially reliant on pre-fabricated objects, craftsmanship is central to my practice. Simply collecting or purchasing materials is not necessarily conducive to creativity. Actually building an object-- learning about it, reconfiguring as I go-- helps me to better understand it. The evolution of a piece is less about exerting control than allowing the ideas find their own shape. I am in conversation with the objects I make and use. The finished product comes out of that conversation.

Interconnectivity is essential to any discipline. Science is dependent on creativity and unorthodox thinking, just as art is dependent on research and calculated procedure. By placing myself and my practice in transit between these two fields, I am taking on the role of facilitator, encouraging dialogue and stimulating a flow of ideas that will enrich both.

csprewitt@gmail.com

www.csprewitt.com