Mel Chin

Artist Mel Chin visits the Wexner Center to talk about his ingenious, environmentally conscious art projects. Involving a variety of artistic and scientific disciplines, Mel Chin's work strives to provoke greater social awareness and responsibility. Originally working in sculpture that addressed political and social issues, Chin's work has gradually expanded to include environmental art projects that explore habitat devastation, sustainability, ecological systems, and biodiversity, often with practical applications and real-world results. For example, his Revival Field, designed in collaboration with scientists, artfully arranges pollution-eating "hyperaccumulator" plants in a sculpted garden that extracts heavy metals from contaminated soil. A classically trained Chinese-American artist born and raised in Houston, Texas, Chin is the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts grants and now lives in North Carolina.

Presented by Ohio State's Department of Art. Cosponsored by the Wexner Center.