The ‘T’ House by Andrea Polli and John Donalds

First Friday Art Walk, August 1st, 6-10 PM
Happy ‘Tea’ Hour and Artists’ Talk, Saturday, August 2nd, 6-8 PM

Inspired by a traditional teahouse, The ‘T’ House is an art and design project by artist/architectural designer team Andrea Polli and John Donalds. The ‘T’ House provides a physical and virtual ‘platform’ for the performance, discussion and experience of the complex symbiotic relationship of humans and plants in Springfield and beyond.

In response to the social and environmental implications of digital and biological technologies pervading the fabric of many global cultures, the BioCultura team combines public art, architecture and networked media to create events, interventions, publications, multi-functional built spaces and other artworks focused on social transformation through collaboration with scientists, engineers, community organizations, and artists.

Andrea Polli currently is artist-in-residence teaching at Drury University’s Summer Institute of Visual Arts. Locally the BioCultura team have been working with students, faculty and staff in Drury University Art, Architecture and Science Departments, the Missouri State University Herbarium, Springfield Urban Agriculture Coalition, and other local growers and gardeners.

During First Friday Art Walk on August 1, 6-10 p.m. visit the ideaXfactory at 351 N. Boonville Ave. to explore this installation merging art and biology. The event is free and parking available in the free lot at the corner of Boonville and Water Street. This month a free shuttle will be running between the ideaXfactory and the Springfield Art Museum until 9 p.m.

On Saturday, August 2, visit the ideaXfactory for Happy ‘Tea’ Hour and Artists’ Talk from 6-8 p.m. This free social event and gathering will allow exploration of The ‘T’ House installation and a chance to hear the artists speak about their work and to meet some of the local contributors to the project.

The ideaXfactory is sponsoring this installation and events funded in part by a grant from ArtPlace America and in partnership with RuBert Studios and Drury University’s Summer Institute of Visual Arts.

Andrea Polli is an Associate Professor in Art & Ecology with a joint appointment between Fine Arts and Engineering at The University of New Mexico. She has worked with NASA/Goddard Institute Climate Research Group and National Center for Atmospheric Research. Her artwork and research has been funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Science Foundation and Fulbright. Her work has been reviewed by the Los Angeles Times, Art in America, Art News, NY Arts and others. Her latest book is Far Field: Digital Culture, Climate Change and the Poles published by Intellect Press.

John Donalds is an architectural design collaborator creating fantastical spaces that mix futuristic materials and forms with traditional, buildable structures. As a practicing digital media artist, he led the design of high-end networked photography and video laboratory spaces at Oberlin College. In 2010, he was project manager for a series of portals for DestinyUSA, one of the largest Leed Gold Certified commercial buildings in the United States. In 2012, his collaboration on the project Eden Again, a model of a human wastewater garden planned for Iraq’s first national park, was featured in the International Symposium for Electronic Art in Albuquerque.

Thanks to local collaborators involved:
– Ryan Osborne and Drury Architecture Department staff and faculty for CNC routing
– Drury Science Faculty Dr. Kevin Preuss, Dr. Madhuri Manpadi, Dr. Ioana Popescu and Dr. Roger Young for the High Tea workshop and other scientific advice
– Sarrita Hunn and Drury University Summer Institute of Visual Arts faculty, staff and students for help with the workshop and programming
– Michelle Bowe of the MSU Herbarium for native tea plants and advice
– Christine Chiu for advice and help coordinating plants
– Russ and Pam RuBert of RuBert Studios for help with installation, coordination and publicity
– Ben Utne of the Springfield Urban Agricutural Coalition
– Mika Logan of Springfield Sister Cities Association