‘I’ve never considered them different’
ArtSci STEAM Conference held at CBU
Art and Science were combined on Saturday during the ArtSci STEAM Conference held at CBU.
Multiple guest speakers talked to dozens of members of the public during the conference that took place from 8: 30 a. m. until 4: 30 p. m. Another key part of the event was the Mi’kmaq guiding principle of Two-Eyed Seeing, which brings together Indigenous knowledge and western science.
STEM is a term used to describe science, technology, engineering and mathematics; art is rapidly being incorporated into educational science practices as a way of creative learning, which is known at STEAM. The conference and other events that have taken place at Cape Breton University since Thursday are ways to appreciate and spread that message and style of learning.
Sara Roth, who was in attendance for the conference, is also the event and outreach co- ordinator of the Lumière Art- At- Night Festival. She said it was enjoyable to listen to the speakers talk about science and art like the different side of the same coin.
“Science tells us about our world and art tells us about our world and our place in it. It’s just a different way of representing and understanding the same things,” said Roth.
One of the speakers for the day was Jordan Bennett, a contemporary artist of Indigenous heritage who talked about his artwork “Skull Stories,” which addresses the theme of art and the natural world. He said that the conference was nice to be a part of because combining art and science was always natural to him.
“It’s very encouraging and very nice because as an Indigenous artist those two things art and science — I’ve never considered them different,” said Bennett.
Gerry Lalonde is an architect who works for Membertou designing building. He said the principles he learned at the conference are ones that will help him in his career.
“I work for the First Nations community in Membertou and I’m trying to incorporate all of the input from the community and things I’ve learned today into structures that we’re building in Membertou, which are community buildings,” said Lalonde.
“I’m hoping that this way of looking at the world is going to help me with what I do every day.”
The keynote speaker of the event was Andrew Pelling, who is a TED speaker, an associate professor and holder of the Canada Research Chair in experimental cell mechanics at the University of Ottawa. Other speakers included: First Nations elder Albert Marshall from Eskasoni, who talked about TwoEye Seeing; Jennifer Willet, a bio- art teacher at the University of Windsor in Ontario; and Sally McKay, an art writer and art history teacher
at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
Other events included a Cape Breton yeast workshop on and the ArtSci Gallery Exhibition on Friday.
The gallery will be open until Feb. 2.