Walking into the Cal Poly Dexter Art Gallery, visitors are surrounded with a blend of sound and imagery — ranging from the hum of satellite signals to videos showcasing the sun. The walls feature artworks tied together by a central theme: humanity’s relationship with satellites.
“A lot of the works in the show are about the strangeness of seeing something through instrument eyes rather than our own,” Heidi Neilson, the interdisciplinary artist behind the exhibit “Strange Birds,” said.
The exhibit uses multimedia to immerse visitors in the world of satellites. Through interactive elements incorporating sound, video and visual art, Neilson explores what satellites see and how they function from and far above Earth.
“They’re extending our senses into places that we can’t go,” Neilson said.
Neilson’s work is inspired by science and driven by artistic curiosity. She hopes viewers walk away with a new appreciation for satellites and the ways they extend human vision and understanding.
Biological Sciences junior Lauren Honold, set up the exhibit and shared what the pieces made her feel.
“The first time that I set it up, I just thought it was so ingenious, really like, wow, we really are just specks,” Honold said.
Honold also reflected on the interdisciplinary nature of the exhibit.
“Science and art have been intertwined for as long as the two have existed. You can’t visually describe science without having an understanding of art,” she said.
With “Strange Birds,” Neilson invites viewers to see satellites as both tools of observation and sources of wonder. The exhibit will run through Dec. 6 at the Dexter Art Gallery.
