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Yuan, M. (1160-1225). On a Mountain Path in Spring. [Online photograph of a Painting]. Comuseum. Retrieved from https://www.comuseum.com/painting/masters/ma-yuan/on-a-mountain-path-in-spring/

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Yuan, M. (1160-1225). On a Mountain Path in Spring. [Online photograph of a Painting]. Comuseum. Retrieved from https://www.comuseum.com/painting/masters/ma-yuan/on-a-mountain-path-in-spring/

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Yuan, M. (1160-1225). On a Mountain Path in Spring. [Online photograph of a Painting]. Comuseum. Retrieved from https://www.comuseum.com/painting/masters/ma-yuan/on-a-mountain-path-in-spring/

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Concept Statement - Final Draft Revision

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Concept Statement - Final Draft Revision

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The Algal Empress
The project "The Algal Empress" draws from the aquatic life of algae, a diverse group of plants that have capacity to both give life and take it away. Algae are responsible for creating 50% of our oxygen (Kassinger, 2019), but when in bloom, their toxic proprieties can kill an instant (Mendoza & Gleeson, 2021). In my work, I wanted to contradict the common perception of algae as being a slimy, fuzzy nuisance, and look deeper into the algal structures to be able to translate its potence and beauty. I drew inspiration from traditional Chinese Art (such as On a Mountain Path in Spring by Ma Yuan, 1160-1225 ) for aesthetics showcasing the
timelessness, subtleness and an idea of an imperial power. The textile patterns are delicate and flowy, hinting at the movements of the ocean. The colour palette relates to the sea - with shades of blue, green and the creaminess of sea foam. The aquatic fluidity is represented by the seamlessness and plain textures of the fabric.

References:

Kassinger, R. (2019). Bloom: From Food To Fuel, The Epic Story Of How Algae Can Save Our World. Elliott & Thomson.

Mendoza, J. & Gleeson, S. (2021, August 25). Can toxic algae kill humans? California health officials are warning of these poisonous blooms. [Online]. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/25/can-toxic-algae-blooms-can-kill-humans-warnings-issued-california/5583980001/

Yuan, M. (1160-1225). On a Mountain Path in Spring. [Online photograph of a Painting]. Comuseum. Retrieved from https://www.comuseum.com/painting/masters/ma-yuan/on-a-mountain-path-in-spring/

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Blooming in the deep

Blooming in the deep is inspired by algae (commonly known as seaweed). Algae give life and nourishment to all species and provide us with about half of our oxygen. They are key to keeping our ecosystem alive. Yet, they commonly invoke unpleasant associations: green, slimy, fuzzy scum. I was fascinated by the vast diversity of algae and how beautiful it looks upon taking a closer look through a microscope. Through the “Subversive botanicals” project, I wanted to showcase algae as an underestimated hero of the botanical world, the one that persists in challenging us and our ways. I opted for intricate and heavily repeated patterns, as a representation of how I perceived algae under the microscope –  delicate vines intertwined in excessively complex structures. My colour palette is inspired by the algae, but also its oceanic habitat – dominated by the bright blue, green and turquoise.

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For me, subversive botanics is about nature's revolution, a way to pierce through the human systems and habits. It's about the nature trying to call out, for us to make a chance and see things from a new angle. I was inspired by words "evil, contrast, conversion, overgrowth, moss, wetlands". I want to contrast soft against sharp, bright against dark. Algae is one of the most fascinating and important plants on the planet. They give life and nourishment to most spieces on the planet, are key to maintaining our eco-system and "grow about 10 times faster than most other plants" (Kite-Powell 2018). Algae are also very adaptive. They have potential to be used in many innovative ways: as a sustainable food-source, supplements, agriculture, fuel and materials. Yet, algae often causes nuisance, as it's associated with infestation, overgrowth and toxins.

Sources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2018/06/15/see-how-algae-could-change-our-world/?sh=343b2ba3e466

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Mark making - Algae (pen - upper and stick - lower)

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Mark making - Algae (pen - upper and stick - lower)

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https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/article/the-good-the-bad-and-the-algae/

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Landsat Science | A joint NASA/USGS Earth observation program.

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August 12, 2015

A vast, seemingly benign bloom of phytoplankton gave the Atlantic Ocean a chalky green color on August 3. The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite observed the scene off the coast of New Jersey and New York, in an area referred to by oceanographers and geologists as the New York Bight. Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory

[By NASA Science News] Algae are complicated. The little plants can be both good and bad.
Single-celled algae called phytoplankton are a main source of food for fish and other aquatic life, and account for half of the photosynthetic activity on Earth—that’s good.
But certain varieties such as some cyanobacteria produce toxins that can harm humans, fish, and other animals. Under certain conditions, algae populations can grow explosively — a spectacle known as an algal bloom, which can cover hundreds of square kilometers. For example, in August 2014, a cyanobacteria outbreak in Lake Erie prompted Toledo, Ohio, officials to ban the use of drinking water supplied to more than 400,000 residents.
In the United States alone, freshwater degradation from “bad” algae costs the economy about $64 million a year.
NASA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Geological Survey are doing something about it. NASA has long used Earth observing satellites to locate algal bloom outbreaks in the ocean. But now, this unique satellite data will be routinely produced in a form that helps US water quality managers monitor our freshwater. Water quality managers will soon, with a peek at their cell phones, have an answer to “how’s the water?”
The four agencies are working on a joint project, sponsored by NASA, to transform satellite data into an indicator of cyanobacteria outbreaks in our freshwater supply. The data will be integrated into an EPA Android smart phone application so environmental officials can see – at a glance – the condition of a specific water body.
“With our app, you can view water quality on the scale of the US, and zoom in to get near-real-time data for a local lake,” explains the EPA’s Blake Schaeffer, Principal Investigator for the project. “When we start pushing this data to smartphone apps, we will have achieved something that’s never been done – provide water quality satellite data like weather data. People will be able to check the amount of ‘algae bloom’ like they would check the temperature.”
Here’s how it works:
A harmful species of cyanobacteria emits chlorophyll and fluorescent light at various points in their life cycles. Landsat and NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) can detect these “ocean color” signals, which reveal the location and abundance of cyanobacteria. The project team will collect this data for freshwater bodies and convert it into a form accessible through web portals and the EPA mobile app. In addition to MODIS, they’ll draw data from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3.
With early warning about a developing bloom, officials at water treatment plants will be better able to determine when, where, and how much to treat the water to keep consumers safe. That means unnecessary — and expensive — overtreatment may be avoided. The data will also help park managers alert swimmers, boaters, and other recreational users to hazardous conditions.
Says NASA Administrator Charles Bolden: “We’re excited to be putting NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration to work protecting public health and safety.”
The project will also help scientists understand why “bad” algae outbreaks occur. By comparing the color data with landcover change data, they’ll learn more about environmental factors that spur algal growth. The result: better forecasts of bloom events. So we’ll know when an algae bloom is safe or harmful.
This article first appeared in NASA Science News on June 26, 2015.
Further information:
+ ScienceCasts: The Good, the Bad, and the Algae

Categories: News

Categories: News

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The Good, the Bad, and the Algae | Landsat Science

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Algae are complicated. The little plants can be both good and bad.

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Zia, K. M., Zuber, M., & Muhammad, A. (Eds.). (2017). Algae based polymers, blends, and composites: chemistry, biotechnology and materials science. Elsevier.

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https://www.agro-chemistry.com/agenda/algae-tech-conference/

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https://www.britannica.com/science/Pseudopedinella

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Retrieved from https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/several-plant-like-algae-can-morph-into-animal-like-predators

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- Contrasts created by negative space
- Showcasing irregularities (ie in patterns)
- Deceptive beauty of nature (shadows, hidden elements)
- Sharp, monochromic (eg prickly cactus, shark outline, black and white) VS soft edges, bright colours (eg algae, fallen autumn leaves)
- Overgrown, excessive, repetitive, out of control

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A more etheral miscroscopic image of green algae

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Green algae under a microscope looks like hands made out of glowsticks

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Predatory plants at Sydney Botanical Gardens

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Predatory plants at Sydney Botanical Gardens

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Strong, contrasting, overgrown, messy, explosive

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Strong, contrasting, overgrown, messy, explosive

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Drosera zonaria (WA). Photo by Thilo Kruegar (2022)

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Drosera zonaria (WA). Photo by Thilo Kruegar (2022)

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A sundeew (Drosera neesi). Photo by Thilo Kruegar

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A sundeew (Drosera neesi). Photo by Thilo Kruegar

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Secret garden, old, long-lasting, unattended, wild

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Secret garden, old, long-lasting, unattended, wild

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Pitcher plant (Photo by Sangpemotret via Pixbay; CC0)

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Pitcher plant (Photo by Sangpemotret via Pixbay; CC0)

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"Prey falls into a pitfall trap after being attracted to bright colours..." (Reference: https://www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/icky-sticky-and-quite-tricky-world-predatory-plants). Based on this image and info, I found it interesting that in nature, bright colours attract even when they only constitute a small part of a much larger, dark mass.

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Photo by Paul Nicken. Ref URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYMH2AKGE7/

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Whale shark patterns - Paul Nicken (2022)

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Whale shark patterns - Paul Nicken (2022)

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Shadow Palms Mural by Bethany Linz (Miltonandking.com)

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Shadow Palms Mural by Bethany Linz (Miltonandking.com)

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Photo retrieved from https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/18-amazing-algae-facts-to-help-you-enjoy-understand-and-respect-one-of-the-worlds-most-important-organisms/.

Whilst algae is one of the most important organisms on earth, helping us directly and indirectly, providing many species with oxygen and energy, at times it can also be hard to control, and considered a pest.

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Copiapoa cinerascens (a cactus) in the Atacama Desert of Chile. Photo by Gretchen Mattison/Alamy

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Copiapoa cinerascens (a cactus) in the Atacama Desert of Chile. Photo by Gretchen Mattison/Alamy

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"Cacti are able to survive the harshest conditions on the planet" (Nuwer, 2021). Reference URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/20/science/cactus-trafficking-chile.html

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A piece of surviving vegetation near a peat bog in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (Luján Agusti, 2022)

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A piece of surviving vegetation near a peat bog in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (Luján Agusti, 2022)

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"This piece of vegetation was found near a peat bog, left dry because of peat extraction." (Natgeo, 2022). Reference URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcWuc40sPk0/

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Overgrown, wet, mouldy, expanding, evergreen, pest