Arteles Catalogue 2023-2020

Back to Basics program / JUNE 2023
Candice Raeburn
Australia
twitter.com/candiceraeburn?lang=en
About
Candi is a passionate STEM professional working across
government, education and research sectors. Her past
research has looked at ways to use bacteria to clean up
nuclear fallout zones, has explored bacteria living in extreme
environments (such as the deep-sea floor), and has created
glowing biosensors that can help us better understand
neurodegenerative diseases. She is a passionate science
communicator, always interested in finding new ways to
explain the natural world and potential of science in nonconventional
ways.
Candi is currently undertaking a project looking to explore the
language and biochemistry of human behaviour, particularly
love. She is working with the Museum of Broken Relationships
in Croatia to explore the words we use to describe love and
loss across language, culture and time. She is also interested
in transformative experiences, rituals and all forms of bio-art.
Science of Love
Deeply immersed in data, stories and frameworks relating
to love and loss. During the residency, I analysed stories
from the Museum of Broken Relationships to understand
the words we use when we talk about love, and objects that
represent the feeling across language, culture and time. I
also analysed my own data-set where people explained what
different 'species' of love such as 'love', 'romance', 'worship'
and 'adore' meant to them. A new framework and research
study was designed, and the cascades of chemicals and
neurotransmitters that are triggered as people move between
emotional states were mapped.
The spaces between the data were filled with conversations,
nature, writing and learning the arts of weaving and pop-up
art creating (aka 'paper engineering').