Several NIOO experts are collaborating with artists to co-create and share ecological knowledge in innovative ways, reaching out to new audiences. Examples of recent art x science projects are the installation Mapping Dutch Waters that makes use of the water samples of citizen scientists, an international exhibition on the bioclock and its impact on life on earth, and the prize-winning documentary Onder het Maaiveld/Planet Soil about the unseen life under our feet.
Soil animal art at the international outdoor expo IJSSELBIËNNALE
https://nioo.knaw.nl/nl/nieuws/onderkruipsels-en-bodemsnoesjes-op-de-ijsselbiennale
Film projects
- The award winning Onder het Maaiveld /Planet Soil (https://nioo.knaw.nl/nl/nieuws/de-ongeziene-wereld-van-onder-het-maaive…)
- The Dark side of bright nights (https://wffr.nl/movies/the-dark-side-of-bright-nights/ and aired in Germany) about the effects of light pollution. NIOO scientist Kamiel Spoelstra was interviewed.
Mapping Dutch Waters, with samples of citizen scientists
- Explanation at Ruigoord Atelier website: https://ruigoord.nl/atelier_overzicht/mapping-dutch-waters/
- Artist Suzette Bousema about the art work: https://suzettebousema.nl/Mapping-Dutch-Waters
Biological timing
Our expert Kamiel Spoelstra - animal ecologist and chronobiologist - has been involved in several expositions on biological timing.
- The clocks around and within us: that was the subject of an exposition at EPFL pavilions in Lausane in 2023. They are now working on an international online version (see below). https://epfl-pavilions.ch/archive/the-clocks-around-and-within-us
- Wild animals need clocks to escape predation and compete with others https://chronobiology.srbr.org/5_How_and_why_do_we_have_clocks/5_3_Are_… Part of https://chronobiology.srbr.org/
Viruses back on the grid
Art project by Art van Triest in the NIOO garden, based on the virus research of NIOO scientist Mark Zwart:
https://nioo.knaw.nl/en/news/viruses-back-on-the-grid-in-nioo-garden
And children’s books
Within the extensive Onder het Maaiveld project, famous for its cinema film on the soil life under our feet, also two children's books where published. Our science communication expert Froukje Rienks was involved in the co-creation, including the inspiration part at the start and the fact checking at the end:
- Mevrouw Mol en andere (niet zo heel) vreemde figuren (https://www.onder-het-maaiveld.nl/w-onderwereld/leesboeken/76-mevrouw-m…) https://nioo.knaw.nl/nl/nieuws/boek-over-bodemdieren-van-janneke-schotv…
- Alle bee(s)tjes helpen (https://www.onder-het-maaiveld.nl/w-onderwereld/leesboeken) & & https://nioo.knaw.nl/nl/nieuws/alle-beestjes-helpen-bij-gi-ga-groene-ki….