'Surge' intersects art and science; opens at MoNA Saturday

We know about climate change through science; we feel it through art. The combination is a powerful one and is on display at the Museum of Northwest Art starting Saturday as "Surge: Mapping Transition, Displacement and Agency in Times of Climate Change." It opens Oct 14, 1-4 p.m.

This is the fourth iteration of "Surge." Each one has grown, from a one-day event in 2015 to a year-long collaboration this year with artists pairing with scientists to study and create climate change-inspired art. The Skagit Climate Science Consortium has partnered with the museum through them all. Chloe Dye Sherpe is the exhibit guest curator. She has been involved with all of them and said each year has provided learning opportunities and a chance to adapt.

That kind of trial and error for the exhibition format mimics the kind of experimentation common in climate change science and art. The artists and scientists involved in "Surge" have collaborated in distinct ways, such as sharing and discussing scientific papers or going on bird walks together. Their partnerships deepened the art.

One of the artists, Tesla Kawakami, praised the interdisciplinary relationship formed through "Surge" as a way to help her "move through stagnancy" and ensure her work "is still grounded in science and real experiences." Another artist, Ann Chadwick Reid, concurred. She described her work as being more scientific and accurate because of the partnership and that gives the work more value to her.

Jamie Donatuto, staff at Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, is the scientific collaborator with the Indigenous artist Jackie Qataliña Schaeffer. They hope their project presents a fresh perspective on climate change, moving beyond dry recitation of data. "We can create all the data that we want," said Donatuto, "but it is useless unless, one, it makes sense to the people who are in question and, two, they understand it and ..., three, they can do something with it." Art may be one way to accomplish this act of translation.

Natalie Niblack had begun working on an art project related to western Washington birds. When the opportunity to work collaboratively arose, she jumped. Partnering with ornithologist John Bower of Western Washington University helped Niblack produce work that was more scientifically nuanced than she had understood at the outset. "I was stepping out of my comfort level and dealing with a scientific study that required ... [a] different set of skills than I have," said Niblack. "So I found it very exciting to find somebody to bounce this off of and get feedback from somebody who was extremely knowledgeable."

That is a key goal of how the museum and the consortium envisions "Surge." It generates exciting results and might deepen viewers' appreciation of climate change impacts.

Several participants described art as a mediator or bridge that can touch people in new ways. Many also see this collaborative work as a call to action, inspired by emotion more than graphs. "I really applaud the museum for having this show," said Reid.

Sherpe hopes the accessible information "provides some familiar foundation for people so that they can have conversations with fellow guests or take some of these questions home to their communities and just continue to talk about this important topic." The concerns that have prompted "Surge" have always combined the local and the global, so wherever visitors come from, they will have opportunities to have their hearts and minds engaged.

Opening afternoon events includes a panel discussion with artist-scientist teams at 1 p.m. The galleries open at 3 p.m. Artists and scientists will be on hand to discuss their collaboration and resulting artwork.

The exhibit runs through Jan. 21, 2024. The museum is at 121 South First Street, La Conner.