About the sculptures: A note from the artist, Joseph Rossano
As an artist, I strive to distill ideas, concepts, and reality into their bare essence. My resulting minimalist sculptures, I hope, convey an emotion, ask a question, or direct the viewer on a path of introspection and investigation, as they explore man's impact on the environment.
My series "BOLD" is named for the acronym for the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) database. The subject of each specimen box is neither real nor is it an accurate representation of the creature it is designed to represent. The subjects of these sculptures are a jeweled representation of reality that draw the viewer in for a closer inspection. As the viewer shortens the distance between himself and the sculpture, the specimen becomes increasingly difficult to discern. The viewer, now confronted with the frustration of being unable to make out exactly what is in the box, discovers the clear and legible text surrounding the specimen.
What is the text on the side of each piece? The text is the 100% accurate representation of the specimen that attracted you. The text is the FASTA file, a textual representation of the DNA barcode that identifies the unique species.
What is the story of this specimen? What is a DNA barcode? I'm not a scientist, my role in this interactive collaboration is to distill reality into a visual hook that leads you to the answers. Welcome to BOLD. Here, entomologist Dan Janzen and biologist Paul Hebert will lead you to the answers to these and many more of your questions.
Thank you for visiting the web site of these sculptures. I hope your journey is inspiring and enlightening.
Humbly,
Joseph Rossano
