Beneath Our Feet is an exploration of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark through the use of art and science communication.
Living in Torbay, we are all often inspired by the natural world and the locations around our coast, from the textures of rocks out at sea, to the wonderful beaches and views from the cliffs above. But there is another secret side of the landscape that may be hidden at first, right beneath our feet.
Geologists get to see this “hidden side” in their day-to-day work, as through scientific methods they seek clues from the rocks that can show us how the landscape was formed. And as well as revealing this history of how the ground beneath us came to be, the clues they study are often uniquely beautiful in their own right.
In this exhibition, using her Geopark home as a lens, Grace Clifford looks to shine a light on how the world of science is frequently home to objects and concepts that are undoubtedly works of art and consider what this could mean for how we communicate and educate.
“I think there has always been an element of art throughout scientific practice; maps, scientific illustrations, field study notebooks, thin sections, they all evoke something in us when we look at them, whether or not we understand what they are trying to communicate or explain.” Grace
The exhibition specifically focuses on the use of geological thin sections as one method of uncovering more information about rocks which reveals a whole other world under the microscope. A thin slice of rock is mounted on a glass slide and when viewed with different lights shows an array of colours and shapes. This exhibition brings together photography of thin sections representative of the local area, alongside art that they have inspired, through etching, sketching and digital media.
Beneath Our Feet is an ongoing project that has been funded by Torbay Culture’s Local Heritage Grant Scheme via National Lottery Heritage Funding. As well as engaging audiences with the science and beauty of our natural heritage, the project will also produce a limited edition run of handmade books that will capture a story of our Geopark home told through art, geology and science, and these will be made available at open access venues across South Devon. Discover the project by following @intrepidandwild on Instagram.
Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 5 pm
The Exhibiiton will launch on Friday 17th May 6 - 8 pm