Infärgade sidentyger i abstrakta mönster

Artist Amanda Selinder uses pigments from nature to dye silk fabrics that will be hung in the Lugnet park near Blåsenhus (Campus1477). Photo: Public Art Agency Sweden.

2021-07-09

Biological diversity in focus for artwork at Blåsenhus

An art project on the theme of biodiversity is taking shape in full swing in a lab at the Evolutionary Biology Centre. There, artist Amanda Selinder is cultivating organisms that will be depicted in textile sculptures at the Blåsenhus campus.

During the summer and autumn of 2021, a temporary art installation will be in place near Blåsenhus. Akademiska Hus, the Public Art Agency Sweden and Uppsala University invited artist Amanda Selinder to create this unique art project “Biological pigments - fungal mycelium, algae, plants and bacteria” in the Lugnet park near Campus1477 (Blåsenhus).

Amanda Selinder is up to her eyeballs investigating the fungi, algae, bacteria and plants she has found in the park and pond, and exploring how she can use them to dye textiles. To assist her in this endeavour, she is using traditional vegetable dyeing methods such as boiling and solar dyeing. But she is also extracting pigment from bacteria and fungi in the laboratory in the adjacent Evolutionary Biology Centre along with researchers Anna Rosling and Gustaf Granath. The finished artwork will consist of six pieces of dyed silk fabric.

Goal to stimulate new perspectives

“Art plays an important role in the creation of attractive campuses and with the artworks on campus we want to stimulate new perspectives and ideas in everyone who spends time there. This installation is being created with the aid of nature and is particularly well-suited to an area where we have invested heavily in protecting green areas and promoting biodiversity,” says Peter Bohman, Market Area Director at Akademiska Hus.

The art project “Biological pigments” is an extension of the many ecological sustainability projects carried out in the campus area. The development of the project can be followed via a website from mid-July. Anyone who wants to can pass by the Lugnet park next to Blåsenhus and see how the work is progressing. During the summer and autumn there will also be workshops with the public and students on site. The finished work “Biological pigments” will be ready for viewing from the end of August.

Anneli Björkman

About the art installation initiative at Blåsenhus

As part of a partnership agreement between Akademiska Hus and Uppsala University, these parties are actively working on developing the environment in the Blasenhus campus. Among other things, insect and hedgehog hotels have been built, and bird nesting boxes and dead tree trunks have been placed out – all to help animals and insects thrive in the environment.

The art installation initiative at Blåsenhus is being implemented as part of a deeper collaboration between Akademiska Hus and the Public Art Agency Sweden; a project in which Uppsala University is also a partner. It is intended to lead to artworks taking their place in the development of attractive campuses and contributing in a new way to research and learning environments.