These works are created in limited editions of 5, come ready for framing, and are designed for those who connect with the ideas behind our plant-technology research.
Published written work is pending.
The Generative Tree: Vermont Lifelines
The complete Vermont Lifelines series is on view here.
All works are in limited editions of 5
11” x 14” ink work on archival mixed media matte paper. Created with vintage Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph pens and black India ink.
Artist Statement:
Phytomechatronics is a speculative framework I developed to envision technological advancements that nourish, rather than extract from, biological systems. For this series of Lifeline artworks, I collected Vermont leaves damaged by the invasive Lymnatria dispar caterpillar, this collection is called the Damaged Leaf Dataset. To symbolically heal and restore each damaged leaf, I used machine learning—trained on the Damaged Leaf Dataset—to reconstruct the missing sections of the damaged leaf margins. (Margins is a botanical term referring to the outer edge of a leaf, which defines its overall shape.)
The infill of each Lifelines artwork is inspired by a study of natural occurring leaf lines that define the vascular efficiency structure of a leaf alongside observations of lines drawn by machines based on their system efficiencies.
Through the precise movement of a robotic drawing system and the fluid character of archival ink, each work is a conversation between technological precision and organic form.
The Generative Tree: Lifelines of Westchester County
Jenn Karson’s series from The Generative Tree: Lifelines of Westchester County is available through the Bantam Tools Gallery. Proceeds support the ongoing work of The Plant Machine Design Group.
All works are in limited editions of 5
18” x 24” ink work on 20” x 28” Bergo Chorus Art Gloss Cover Paper, created with Sakura Pigma Micron 08 felt-tip pens and plotted using a Bantam Tools ArtFrame™ 1824.
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Artist Statement:
Phytomechatronics is a speculative framework I developed to envision technological advancements that nourish, rather than extract from, biological systems. For this series of Lifeline artworks, I collected leaves damaged by caterpillars and insects from tree groves in Westchester County. To symbolically heal and restore each leaf, I used machine learning—trained on my team’s original dataset of healthy, intact leaves—to reconstruct the missing sections of the damaged leaf margins. (Margins is a botanical term referring to the outer edge of a leaf, which defines its overall shape.)
The infill of each Lifelines leaf was inspired by a study of plant lines that define a plant’s vascular structure and my observations of lines drawn by machines based on their system efficiencies.
Through the precise movement of the Bantam Tools robotic drawing system and the fluid character of archival ink, each work is a conversation between technological precision and organic form.
More about the series Lifelines and its core source material that is the Damaged Leaf Dataset, and the work of student researchers contributing to the both projects can be found across this website.