occurred at a worse place, from an ecological
and economic standpoint. British Petroleum
claims all is well with Gulf ecosystems; however,
we are still far from understanding the longterm impacts of the DWH disaster.
By generating discourse through the
exhibition at Feldman Gallery I hoped we
could raise attention for the need for continued
research and coastal remediation. It is hard to
say if this worked, but the show did receive
considerable publicity in which the spill was
discussed, dozens of petitions were signed and
several politicians visited, including a senator
from Florida. Collapse is currently on view in the
"Beyond Earth Art" exhibition at the Herbert
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell
University and will travel to the National
Academy of the Sciences in Washington, D.C.
this fall.
SAiA: What are you working on now
artistically, and scientifically speaking,
respectively?
BB: In 2012, I began a new ongoing body of
works called “Ti-tânes.” This series pairs the
portrayal of ancient animal species with the
idea of the Greek mythological deities, the
Titans. Symbolically, the series is meant to link
such animals to archaic lingering nature deities
surviving, banished, in now degraded environs.
The complete series will consist of 12 finished
works, in reference to the 12 historic Titans
mentioned in Greek mythology. To date, I have
completed three initial artworks, which depict
ninespine stickleback fish. These were collected
in polluted canals of Essonne, France, in 2012.
This species, though ancient, appears to be
thriving at least in part due to warming waters
and their ability to survive in contaminated
wetlands.
For the science side of things, my research
into the occurrence rate and proximate cases
for amphibian limb deformities in amphibians is
ongoing. As part of my Ph.D. research I found
that dragonfly nymphs can selectively predate
(remove and eat) the limbs of tadpoles. Many
tadpoles survive these attacks and at the time
when they metamorphose into young anurans
(frogs and toads) have permanent “missing
limb” deformities. Stanley Sessions (one of my
Ph.D. advisors and long-term collaborators)
and I published these finding in 2009 in the
Journal of Experimental Zoology and received
considerable attention in the amphibian
research community. We appear to have found
a big piece of the deformed amphibian puzzle,
but much more research is needed. Since this
time I have continued my research into the
predatory injury/deformed frog relationship as a
Visiting Scientist at McGill University (Canada)
with new studies in France, Ireland, Italy, and
Slovenia.
SAiA: When and where is your next
exhibition?
BB: I am really excited that the first career
survey of my works, exhibited last summer at
Château de Chamarande (France) under the
name “Augures d’Innocence” will travel and
be expanded at the Museum Het Domein
in Sittard (the Netherlands). It will include
additional works from my series “Season in
Hell,” new “Malamp Reliquaries,” Apparitions (a
new installation with historic taxidermy birds
from the collection of the Natuurhistorisch
Museum Maastricht), and the Museum Het
Domein itself will be transformed into an
amazing version of the “Love Motel for
Insects.” “Seasons in Hell,” will open February
15th and be on view until June 28th, 2014.
Visit Ballengée's website at brandonballengee.com.
Ti-tânes (2012/2013). 8' x
4' 36'. Duratrans prints on
double-sided light boxes.
Cleared and stained ninespine stickleback (Pungitius
pungitius) photographed on
coal. Photograph by Laurence
Godart, image courtesy of the
artist..
Installed at Château de
Chamarande, Essonne,
France. Summer 2013.
22
SciArt in America February 2014