Allyson Comstock - Antarctica: Micro, Macro and In-between # 8

Artist: Allyson Comstock

Title: Antarctica: Micro, Macro and In-between # 8

The drawing Antarctica: Micro, Macro and In-between # 8 serves to raise questions about how we view and understand the natural world and in particular Antarctica. In this drawing, multiple perceptions of the Antarctic environment are presented. In one panel a macro view of the Antarctica landscape presents an average person’s view of the natural world – a panoramic view of the landscape wherein its grandeur is experienced. A second panel presents a microscopic view of the natural world – a deeper view typically seen only by research scientists. These views are layered onto an “in-between” view to create a new perception of the Antarctic environment.

As this visual narrative is experienced, the importance of perceptions relative to what one knows, understands, and values in nature is discovered. The familiar broad landscape view and the scientists’ microscopic view are brought together by the artist’s view to create an understanding the relational nature of the two - what happens at the smallest (microscopic) level in the Antarctic environment affects the big landscape view that is so well known and admired and vice versa. The ultimate goal is to create a deeper appreciation of the Antarctic environment and a deeper appreciation of scientific research as a way of knowing and understanding the natural world.

Thanks to Ryan Fantasia a member of Dr. Grace Saba’s research team for sharing the photograph of a krill nauplius that was used in the creation of this drawing.