We invite you to join exhibiting artist Heather Barnett in this unique workshop to discover the intelligent single-celled organism and what it can do!
During this event, you will have the opportunity to:
- Discover the slime mould’s impressive biological repertoire
- Engage in a hands-on experiment to test its navigational abilities
- Share and discuss your observations
- Create your own slime mould to take home
Learn how to design with nature as you explore the capabilities of the slime mould Physarum polycephalum – a single-celled organism which exhibits a basic form of intelligence. Widely studied in fields such as robotics, structural design, and biological computing, this fascinating organism also makes an excellent creative partner.
Heather Barnett has been working with this unconventional co-creator since 2009, focusing on its growth patterns, navigational skills, and problem-solving abilities. When kept in dark, moist conditions and fed porridge oats, Physarum polycephalum grows stunning, branching patterns as it searches for food, navigating complex networks as it does so.
At the end of this workshop, you are invited to take your new microbial pet home with you to observe and experiment with over time.
This workshop is open to people of all ages. Booking is encouraged to anticipate numbers. We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting event!
About Heather Barnett
Heather Barnett is an artist, researcher, and educator whose practice explores the relationships between ecological, social, and technological systems across species and scales. Her recent work centres on non-human intelligence, collective behaviour, and relational ecologies, working with the inherent properties of organisms such as slime moulds, ants and humans. Barnett is Pathway Leader on the MA Art and Science and Co-Director of the Living Systems Lab at Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London). She has exhibited widely in both solo and group shows in the UK and internationally.
heatherbarnett.co.uk
@artandlivingsystems
The Art + Design Gallery is open Mon-Fri: 10:00–16:00
Parking
Mon-Fri: Free for the first 2 hours, with £2 thereafter. Sat: Free
Please park in Student Car Park E or The Forum Multi-storey. At the University of Hertfordshire, we use Hozah, which makes paying for parking quick, easy, and convenient. More information can be found here: Parking at UH
Accessible parking and toilets are available and the entrance to the Art + Design Gallery is at ground level.
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