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Brandon Ballengée's research fieldtrip in Gunpowder Park. 2007
Ecoventions: Art & Ecology Projects, Brandon Ballengée
Yorkshire Sculpture Park Bretton Hall, Bretton, Wakefield, WF4 4LG
Gunpowder Park Lee Valley Regional Park, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 9HG
SPACE 129 - 131 Mare St., London, E8 3RH
01/06/2007 – 31/08/2008
Artist Brandon Ballengée led a series of art and ecology fieldtrips and ecology study days, 'bug parties' and a public bioart laboratory in Yorkshire, London and Essex
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During 2007 and 2008, atist Brandon Ballengée led numerous public fieldtrips and biodiversity walks, projects with schools, workshops, study days and events, and ran a public bioart laboratory, as an integral part of his UK amphibians study and residencies at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Gunpowder Park and SPACE London, organised by The Arts Catalyst.
More than 1000 people participated in these many events and activities.
Brandon Ballengee at Gunpowder Park & SPACE, 2007
In Summer 2007, artist Brandon Ballengée led a series of art and ecology field trips and study days in the fields and marshland at Gunpowder Park, a new country park in the Lea Valley, on the boundary between London and Essex, exploring the present species of insects and amphibians. The projects were organised in collaboration with The Arts Catalyst and SPACE, a gallery in East London. Urban ecologist Dusty Gedge, and wildlife photographer David Cottridge also joined Brandon to lead a study day of particular interest to artists wishing to develop their ecological-art practice and ecologists interested in working with artists to raise awareness of ecological issues.
The artist also set up installations, Love Motels for Insects, at Gunpowder Park and SPACE, sculptural works that use ultra-violet (black) light to study and photograph spiders, moths, beetles and other nocturnal creatures, and ran a popular 'Bug Party' at SPACE, a drawing workshop for all ages which incorporated music, graffiti art, and an urban bug hunt to discover the insect life of Hackney.
Ecoventions Art & Ecology Study Day, Sunday 15 July 2007
Ecoventions Fieldtrips, Sunday 22 July & Sunday 29 July 2007
Projects with Mulberry School for Girls and other London and Essex schools, 2007
Bug Party, Sunday 30 September 2007, SPACE, 129-131 Mare Street, London
Love Motel for Insects: Gunpowder Park Variation - Commissioned by The Arts Catalyst & Gunpowder Park
Love Motel for Insects: Hackney Variation - Commissioned by The Arts Catalyst & SPACE
Brandon Ballengee at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2007-8
Brandon was resident artist at Yorkshire Sculpture Park during summer 2007 and the lived and worked at YSP in June and July 2008, collecting samples from the ponds and lakes in order to research rates of deformity and mutation in the park's resident frogs, toads and newts. During both summers, he led field trips and projects involving school groups and the public in collecting samples and conducting aquatic surveys. Throughout his stay in 2008, Brandon worked in a studio at Longside Gallery and set up a public bioart laboratory there, inviting visitors to drop in and talk to him about the project and to participate in his research.
Biodiversity walks, June & July 2007
Artist's talk, Saturday 14 June 2008
Open bioart laboratory, Weds-Sun, June & July 2008
Biodiversity walks every Saturday, June & July 2008
Bug Party, Saturday 16 August 2008
Love Motel for Insects: Yorkshire Sculpture Park Variation - Commissioned by Yorkshire Sculpture Park