The Joey Club child care centre collaborated with Scale Free Network to deliver the Little Laboratory Project, an art-science laboratory. Scale Free Network is an Australian art-science collaborative made up of two artists (Briony Barr and Jacqueline Smith) and a microbiologist (Dr Gregory Crocetti). Their interdisciplinary workshops and interactive installations focus on observation of the micro-scale as a source of inspiration and wonder, combining drawing processes, sculpture and microscopy as tools for visualising, exploring and learning about ‘invisible’ worlds.
In the Little Laboratory Project, small groups of children aged three to five, focused on close looking, shared wonder, beauty in nature and experimentation with art materials. The children used technology that was new and exciting to them, including a microscope camera from which found objects and artworks could be projected. This theatrical light-play space allowed the children to make and interact with large projections and capture video and photographs.
An exhibition showcased the variety of drawing, painting, sculpture, video, photography, collage and assemblage that was produced by the children.
July 2015 to June 2016
Brisbane
$20,000 – Artist in Residence Fund
The educators also made discoveries through this project:
Early in the project we learned that sessions should allow for small groups of children as opposed to the whole class as originally thought. This presented several challenges in maintaining staff ratios while facilitating a separate group of small children to go on an incursion to the lab. A recommendation for other services would be to invest in a four-hour casual educator.
Setting aside time for educators and artists to meet and reflect on the experiences was very valuable and recommended for other people doing similar work.
Having a dedicated space was very effective as the whole project was a ‘work in progress’ and an evolving art installation that recorded past experiences as they were built upon.
Name: Lisa Pikulyk
Email: ku.tjcbrisbane@ku.com.au
Website: http://scalefreenetwork.com.au/project/little-laboratory
www.flickr.com/photos/scalefreenetwork/sets/72157665082805880
A printable version (PDF) (106.78 KB) of this case study is also available.