FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2024

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“Blended Worlds: Experiments In Interplanetary Imagination” at the Brand Library & Art Center Opens September 21 

Part of Getty’s Regional Art Event PST ART: Art & Science Collide

David Bowen, "tele-present wind" (Mars wind studio test,) 2024. Provided courtesy of the artist

GLENDALE, Calif. (September 5, 2024) –– The City of Glendale’s Library, Arts & Culture Department, in collaboration with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), an operating division of Caltech and a Federally Funded Research and Development Center for NASA, is pleased to present a new exhibition titled “Blended Worlds: Experiments in Interplanetary Imagination,” at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, opening September 21, 2024. “Blended Worlds” is presented as part of Getty’s regional art event PST ART: Art & Science Collide which explores the intersections of art and science — past, present and in the imaginable future. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 21 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM, welcoming guests to view the exhibition for the first time.

Through a series of art and science collaborations, “Blended Worlds” explores the landscape of human relationships with our ever-expanding environment. The exhibition includes artists collaborating with a team of JPL scientists and engineers to present a vision of the future that invites the viewer to consider the impact of greater connectedness with nature and its ability to foster a renewed sense of wonder and curiosity with our planet and the cosmos. Spanning a range of multimedia and cross-disciplinary works from 11 artists, “Blended Worlds” features contributions from David Bowen, Darel Carey, Ekene Ijeoma, Annette Lee, Ada Limón, Bruce Mau, Viktoria Modesta, Shane Myrbeck, Moon Ribas, Raffi Joe Wartanian and Saskia Wilson-Brown.

Some works on view incorporate publicly accessible data from missions that JPL manages for NASA, while others allow visitors to experience Earth’s wonders through scents, utilize sound to convey the vast distances between our planet and those beyond our solar system and blend heartbeats and other Earthly sounds with sonified data from Europa’s magnetic field. David Bowen’s installation tele-present wind features grass stalks attached to tilting mechanical devices that move in response to Martian wind data previously collected by NASA rover and lander missions. For Seismic Percussion, Cyborg artist Moon Ribas creates an interplanetary drum score by translating seismic data from Earth and Mars, the latter via NASA’s now-retired InSight lander.

(L-R) David Bowen, “tele-present wind” and Moon Ribas, “Seismic Percussion.” Provided courtesy of the artists.

As part of PST ART, a number of public programs and community events will also accompany the “Blended Worlds” gallery exhibition including Blended Worlds: An Evening of Art, Theater and Science hosted by Reggie Watts at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on October 5, 2024. The evening features a number of special guests from JPL, artist talks and performances. More information on events to be announced soon.

Southern California’s landmark arts event, PST ART, returns in September 2024, presenting more than 70 exhibitions from organizations across the Southern California region exploring the intersections of art and science, both past and present. PST ART is presented by Getty. For more information about PST ART: Art & Science Collide, visit: pst.art

JPL acknowledges the generous support of the Glendale Arts & Culture Commission and the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Trust.

Brand Library & Art Center
1601 West Mountain Street
Glendale, CA 91201

Hours
Tuesday-Thursday: 11:00 AM-8:00 PM
Friday-Saturday: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM
Closed Sunday-Monday and holidays

Special Events

Opening reception at Brand Library & Art Center: Saturday, September 21, 7:00 PM

Blended Worlds: An Evening of Art, Theater and Science at the Alex Theatre: Saturday, October 5.

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About Glendale  

Known as the “Jewel City,” Glendale is the fourth largest city of Los Angeles County. With a population of more than 200,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and offers nearly 50 public parks, and easy access to a municipal airport. It is the home to a vibrant business community, with major companies in healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing, retail, and banking.  

About Glendale Library, Arts & Culture  

Founded in 1907, the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department includes eight neighborhood libraries including the Brand Library & Art Center, a regional visual arts and music library and performance venue housed in the historic 1904 mansion of Glendale pioneer Leslie C. Brand, and the Central Library, a 93,000 square foot center for individuals and groups to convene, collaborate and create. The department also serves as the chief liaison to the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission which works to continually transform Glendale into an ever-evolving arts destination. Glendale Library Arts & Culture is supported in part through the efforts of the Glendale Library Arts & Culture Trust (GLACT). For more information visit GlendaleLAC.org, or contact Library, Arts & Culture at 818-548-2021 or via email at LibraryInfo@GlendaleCA.gov. Follow on Instagram, Facebook and X at @MyGlendaleLAC.

About Brand Library & Art Center  

Brand Library & Art Center has been a cornerstone for the arts in Southern California since 1956. This unique public library focuses on visual arts and music and provides free services and programs for a diverse community, including print and online collections, subject specialist librarians, exhibitions, concerts, lectures, dance performances, films, and hands-on craft programs for children and adults. Brand Library seeks to develop innovative programs, services and collections to serve an ever-widening public interested in the arts. Brand Library & Art Center is a branch of the City of Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department. For more information visit BrandLibrary.org or contact 818-548-2051. Follow on Instagram, Facebook and X @BrandLibary.

About The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL began in 1936 and ultimately built and helped launch America’s first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958. By the end of that year, Congress established NASA and JPL became a part of the agency. Since then, JPL has managed such historic missions as Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, the Mars Exploration Rover program, the Perseverance Mars rover, and many more.