The Dots
The Dots
Log in
Join
Join now for free

Microscopes and Manipulation

  • Lila Bernstein-Newman

A research-led project that aims to contextualise scientific images (focusing on the micrographs created by electron microscopes) as
 the products of manipulation from the various processes, people and technology used to create them. A scanning electron microscope or S.E.M uses electrons to create extremely magnified images, called micrographs. To build trust with science, the imaging process should not be distant from the non-specialist. The word “manipulation” has connotations of twisting the truth, but there’s never
 a ‘true’ image of anything. Manipulations are methods of discovery, without which images of scientific importance would not be made. With interviews and collaboration with technicians from The Francis Crick Institute, The Natural History Museum and The University of Birmingham, this project generated multiple outcomes but in particular performances and workshops that involve the non-specialist audience in the scientific image making process.

Workshops:

Workshops have taken place as part of the ‘Open Platform’ in the Reading Room at the Wellcome Collection and also at Goldsmiths. Elements of the workshop took place in a performance at Asylum Chapel in an event by Method Agency called “Prelon Musk: Acts of Kleinness”. It focused on facilitating discussion about manipulations, truths and discovery in scientific imagery and exploring practical, creative ways, such as directly editing micrographs through drawing, that the non-specialist can be part of the process of scientific imaging. Seven crafted objects have been imaged by a scanning electron microscope at the University of Birmingham. The process of creating
a micrograph (a microscope image) is manipulation at multiple steps, from sample preparation to choosing the brightness and contrast. The various technologies, processes and people all mediate the final image. Manipulation in scientific imaging is a method of discovery and creativity. Can manipulations by a non-specialist in scientific imaging be considered scientifically valid? Participants are encouraged to further manipulate the micrographs of the seven objects. They are encouraged to draw on micrographs, draw from micrographs, draw from the objects the micrographs depict, cut up micrographs, photograph micrographs, zoom-in on micrographs...
Performances:

Directed by the imaging process of scanning electron microscopy, the sample chosen will dictate my movements around the ‘lab’. Seven crafted objects have been imaged by a scanning electron microscope at the University of Birmingham. During this, numbered holes were punched out from a card designed to codify the ways the samples interact with technologies, processes and people before reaching an image – a micrograph. The punch cards are translated into actions and three-dimensional representations. The imaging process becomes the rules for performance.

For performances, I used a blue sheet for projections. The blue plastic has connotations of medical and scientific settings. I projected footage from my visit to the University of Birmingham where I took my crafted "samples" to view using a scanning electron microscope with generous help from Paul Stanley. This footage was cut with images and films of punching out punchcards and props I made to mimic a microscopy lab as well as audio from interviews with scientists from The Natural History Museum and The Francis Crick Institute. This included Anne Weston and Azumi Yoshimura from the Crick and Dr Alex Ball from NHM.
Report

Project Tags

Companies

  • T

    The Wellcome Collection

    • T

      The Wellcome Collection Library

      Skills