Fringes Creative Catalyst

ART, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & DESIGN

In 2013, Svenja Kratz was as a creative catalyst in the Fringes domain at The Edge at the State Library of QLD.  As part of this 6-month engagement, she worked with The Edge team to establish a basic laboratory space in The Edge Basement for ongoing experimentation in plant cell culture and low risk microbiology.

Bright laboratory workspace with green cabinets, equipment shelves, workbenches, refrigerators, and a tiled floor
Plant tissue culture specimens in sealed glass jars on a laboratory shelf

In this role, she also developed several workshops with The Edge team that explored creative ways of engaging diverse groups into the fascinating world of hybrid arts practice and scientific discovery.  The workshops introduced participants to electronics, 3D printing, basic microbiology and genetic engineering techniques and resulted in ‘take-home’ artworks and kits.

Lab set-up and plant culture experiments

Scientist in blue gloves examining petri dishes with a child in a laboratory
Medical laboratory table with gloves, specimen containers, disinfectant wipes, and testing equipment
Person demonstrating preserved plant specimens and moss in a laboratory workspace with a glass container, adhesive bottle, and reddish plant material

Documentation from workshop sessions

Her engagement at The Edge also included the development of an exhibition featuring all new artworks in response to the experiments conducted during the Fringes period. Creative works included sculpture and installation works that examined notions of genetic heritage, as well as mixed media works commenting on the varied experiments conducted at The Edge with a focus on encounters with the unexpected.

Modern green-and-gray museum hallway with display table, chairs, artwork, and directional signage
Laboratory microscope examining samples in Petri dishes
Art installation featuring a miniature black table with grass, glass vessels, and delicate metal stands inside a white planter box

Installation views and details of selected works from the exhibition.