Works
Earth Potential (C. elegans, Saturn’s Moon Titan), 2017
Digital print on aluminum, cut out display; steel and aluminum armature
Courtesy the artist; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; and Greene Naftali, New York
This rare composite image of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan — sourced online by the artist — was taken from a spacecraft using a visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS). The VIMS was able to capture the moon by taking thousands of pictures in 352 different colors, a range far greater than that of the human eye. The data documented a stable water surface and atmosphere, revealing Titan to have one of the most similar environments as those theorized for primordial Earth. While the C. elegans roundworm is a soil-based organism and only half an inch long, it is equally significant in the scientific study of life. It’s the first multicellular organism to have its genome digitized and is used as a model organism for research — from organ development to aging.
Earth Potential (Embryo), 2017
Digital print on aluminum, cut out display; steel and aluminum armature
Courtesy the artist; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; and Greene Naftali, New York
Novitskova sourced this image of embryo stem cells from an article about CRISPR, the radical new genome editing technology used to permanently modify genes within organisms. While the technology has many potential uses, from enhancing crops to medicines, the focus has centered on companies applying CRISPR technology to non-viable embryos. While current research is primarily concerned with how this might enable us to eliminate genetic mutations and diseases, it suggests a future use that has previously been reserved for the realm of Science Fiction — one where humans could be designed.
Earth Potential (E. coli), 2017
Digital print on aluminum, cut out display; steel and aluminum armature
Courtesy the artist; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; and Greene Naftali, New York
To create an image of the common bacteria E. coli requires the use of a scanning electron microscope that magnifies the minuscule organism by 10,000 times. In this work, Novitskova has enlarged the image even further to create an otherworldly sculpture. Like the roundworm — also sourced for this exhibition — E. coli is a model organism for genetic research, due to its small genome size. In recent years, E. coli has been at the center of groundbreaking research: genetic engineers have used new synthetic biological techniques to recode the bacteria’s genome, potentially changing the organism’s functionality and radically increasing the prospect that humans will have the ability to rewrite the codes for life.
Earth Potential (Earthworm, Earth), 2017
Digital print on aluminum, cut out display; steel and aluminum armature
Courtesy the artist; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; and Greene Naftali, New York
Novitskova combines the macro and the micro to consider the underlying functions of the Earth and how we comprehend it through image making. The artist's Internet-sourced image of Earth was originally rendered by compiling data from a number of satellites orbiting the planet, which were then translated by computer models into vibrant colors to make visible the unseen forces that sustain life on Earth. These invisible processes could never be seen by the naked eye and the images are a construction to aid our understanding of these systems. The common earthworm is a terrestrial organism that has a profound effect on soil, enhancing Earth’s overall functionality. Acting as organic waste management and fertilizer, it is researched for its potential in maintaining the Earth’s ecosystem.
Earth Potential (Lizard, Earth), 2017
Digital print on aluminum, cut out display; steel and aluminum armature
Courtesy the artist; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; and Greene Naftali, New York
This image of an archetypical Earth is one that has shaped our visual understanding of the planet. It is, however, a composite, constructed with various technologies — such as combining data from satellites collected at different times with astronaut photographs — which a team of NASA scientists and artists then use to craft the iconic image. Novitskova layers this collaboration of science and art with a photograph of a lizard’s leg. Biomimetics —the scientific study of how nature can be employed to solve complex human biological problems — researches how the lizard’s ability to regenerate can be utilized for the purpose of human limb regrowth. By enlarging the lizard’s leg so it clings to the Earth, Novitskova juxtaposes an other-worldly image with the very real possibilities of the future.
Earth Potential (Cuttlefish Love, Earth), 2017
Digital print on aluminum, cut out display; steel and aluminum armature
Courtesy the artist; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; and Greene Naftali, New York
Novitskova’s sourced image of Earth at night was constructed by NASA with data sourced from a satellite orbiting 312 times. Its manipulated, cloudless form reveals its purpose: a tool for scientists to monitor the continued growth of population and cities. The image is layered with two Cuttlefish, which Novitskova terms “aliens of the sea.” These creatures are considered among the most intelligent of invertebrates, researched to understand cognitive development. This is due to their evolution being completely independent from mammals, producing an incomparable nervous system resulting in their advanced intellectual capabilities — from communication to dexterity — functioning in ways we have yet to fully comprehend. By combining these images, Novitskova reflects on how — at the micro and macro levels — humans mine the planet for their potential progress and survival.
Earth Potential (Hydra, Venus), 2017
Digital print on aluminum, cut out display; steel and aluminum armature
Courtesy the artist; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; and Greene Naftali, New York
Less than a century ago, Venus was considered "Earth's sister planet.” Subsequent data has revealed a dense layer of sulphuric acid clouds, surface temperature of 900 F, and crushing atmospheric pressure. Now, scientists are studying this data with the hope of preventing our planet from becoming another Venus — ending all life as we know it. In this work, the Hydra clings to Venus. Normally only 0.4 inches long, here the terrestrial fresh-water animal has been enlarged to emphasize its alien-like appearance. Its otherworldly qualities are not limited to its form, for the Hydra is the only known animal able to constantly regenerate cells and even live forever. Like Venus, Hydra’s structure is completely different from our own but is being used to unlock the secrets of immortality.
