Infinitesimal is a research residency that aims to expand our scope of vision by helping artists explore matter under the microscope. It will take place over a week in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada in the fall of 2020. The residency will involve field trips into nature for collection of materials and twice daily excursions into laboratories to get firsthand experience with a wide range of microscopes and microscopy techniques. Expeditions into forests and research labs will be enriched by biologists, naturalists and experts.

Outline:

Artist talk: We invite you to give a private artist talk to share your work with the group.

Hike and forage with a mushroom expert in the Gatineau forest with a pocket microscope and macro lens.

DIY sterile tech workshop to talk about microbes and grow glow in the dark mushrooms.

Photograph samples through dissecting microscopes at Carleton University.

Demonstration on molecular physics at Ottawa University.

Workshop on microscope hacks and petrographic microscopes.

Look closely with a Scanning Electron Microscope. 

Learn about DNA and basic genetics.

Work with a camera lucida arm to draw microscopic specimen at the Museum of Nature Archives Herbarium.

Lure moths to observe with local artist Jim des Rivieres who will give a workshop on high resolution scanning and large format printing of insects.

Gold plating for insect microscopy workshop. 

Visit the Canadian National Collection of Insects and look through their microscopes. 

Visit biomolecular imaging labs at the Center for Interdisciplinary Nanophysics.

Visit a live cell microscopy lab. 

Talk about quantum physics with astrophysicists from the Royal Astronomical Society at a private star party.

Duration of residency
The residency will take place over a week in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada in the fall of 2019.

All disciplines are supported. No science experience necessary.

Residents will be picked up in Ottawa and driven to the Ayatana residency house, where they will have a bed and bedding and will be driven to all activities. Meals will be provided.

Residency fee is $1250 USD

Residents are not expected to produce work during the program. Residents are invited to give a 20 minute artist talk to the group.

Residency places are limited to 6 artists. Selected applicants will be notified shortly after the application deadline.