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Turbulent Landscapes

Submitted by ewilson on December 30, 2008 - 21:29
Description:

A temporary and traveling exhibition at the Exploratorium investigating the interplay of order and chaos in the natural world. Originally called "A Garden of Complexity: Self Organization in Nature." As of 2009, it is still traveling to museums around the world.

s:
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p>

The exhibition consists of twenty-one artworks inspired by the natural forces that shape our universe. (photo © Exploratorium)
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p> thumbnail
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p>

Of the 21 artworks in the exhibition, 14 are by artist Ned Kahn, who was in residence at the Exploratorium. This work is called "Infalling Cloud." Kahn also led the exhibition design efforts. (photo © Exploratorium)
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p> thumbnail
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p>

Ned Kahn's work captures elegantly the complex and dynamic patterns all around us in nature. Most of Kahn's works are designed so that the viewer can interact with and alter the dynamic processes. This is a view looking down on "Aeolian Landscape." (photo © Ned Kahn)
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p> thumbnail
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p>

Visitors could observe salt crystals forming in "Salt Piece" by Jorg Lenzlinger. (photo © Exploratorium)
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p> thumbnail
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p>

The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature—thus the "Garden of Complexity" theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an "easy sell," and created a dark,  mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, Turbulent Landscapes), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see "The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science." (photo © Exploratorium)
<p>The underlying goals of the exhibition focused on the extraordinary beauty of complex patterns in nature&mdash;thus the &quot;Garden of Complexity&quot; theme. But the Marketing Department felt that this focus was not an &quot;easy sell,&quot; and created a dark, &nbsp;mechanistic campaign (and the exhibition title, <em>Turbulent Landscapes</em>), which did not represent the nature of the exhibition. For more, see <a href="http://proto.ind-x.org/essays/science-marketing-and-marketing-science">&quot;The Science of Marketing and the Marketing of Science.&quot;</a>&nbsp;(photo &copy; Exploratorium)</p> thumbnail
Date:
1996
Role:
Principal Investigator
Funders:
  • National Science Foundation #9453037
  • Nathan Cummings Foundation
Footprint:
5,000 square feet
Venue:
  • Exploratorium
Collaborators:
Ned Kahn, Mark McGowan, Melissa Alexander, Jeff Hayward
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