BranchOut

May 3rd & 4th 2022
Horticultural Gardens, MSU

BranchOut is a collaboration between scientists and artists to build an interactive performance that engages audiences with the natural environment around them. The goal is to take individuals from a singular perspective to a communal perspective with performing arts as the medium. Art & Science faculty from Michigan State University (Alison DobbinsMegan HalpernEmily HuffRebecca SchuilingAlexis Bacon), Brigham Young University (Kori WakamatsuKaren Jensen), and Detroit-based fiber artist Megan Heeres have formed a collective to examine the parallels between communicative behaviors of plants and humans. Grounded in the principles of art as a way of knowing, an immersive performance will be generated that prompts the audience to explore their assumptions of individuality, communication, and sustainability. The end goal of the performance is to create an active dialogue around questions of perspective, community, and scale.  

Project Website: https://branchout.dobbinsa.msu.domains/

Pictured: Rebecca Schuiling, Alison Dobbins, and students from Undergraduate Honors Seminar creating paper for use in the building of the costumes and musical instruments.