infocus #23 September 2011 Hijacking Natural Systems

Artist Jo Berry shares with us her project which aimed to find new ways to represent the activity of cells from a drugs perspective to the public, generating digital design drawings from which she created artwork and animations for a city-wide exhibition in Derby.

DOI: 10.22443/rms.inf.1.74

World-leading medical research is ongoing to discover how medicines work in a single cell. Using cutting edge microscope technology and working with scientists
for six months, I have found new ways to represent the activity of cells from a drug perspective with a series of digital drawings and animations.

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Author

Jo Berry

Artist

Originally from Burnley, Jo has studied natural history illustration, illustration, graphic design and printmaking. Exhibiting regularly and widely throughout the country for over 12 years, her work is highly regarded, with pieces in the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) and Arts Council England (ACE) East Midland Office in Nottingham. Her residencies include a year at the Florence Trust Studio in London, and her public art commissions have involved work for Millfield Sculpture Commission, Derbyshire Moorlands and Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust. In 2005 she completed work at Loughborough University as an Advanced Research Fellow; research which significantly developed her interest in drawing digitally to create inspirational ‘light drawings’ through the application of industrial laser technology and commercial computer software. Since then, she has been continuing to develop and explore her understanding of technological processes in order to push the boundaries andssibilities in the design and production of sitespecific artwork for unusual architectural (indoor and outdoor) spaces, through exhibitions and public art commissions. Before starting the research project at Nottingham University, Jo spent time developing new ways to create customised sculptural light drawing samples, both for interior and exterior locations, through the use of digital technologies, high-end lighting devices (such as LEDS) and new fabrication techniques. Jo also has a 15-year teaching career and has lectured in Fine Art and Creative Art Practice at Sheffield Hallam University. She is married with three children and lives in Carsington, Derbyshire. Her new series of work, which was exhibited in Derby this year, was her most ambitious project to date.