In 2006 artist, Joanna Woodward started to incorporate scientific themes in her work under the name JoWonder

In 2007 she created a video installation called "Flatlanders" which uses the minute world of quantum physics as its inspiration. Believing in the unique power of imagery to express the paradoxical relationships often seen in science, the artwork deconstructs the logic of the world as we know it and depicts simultaneously both a positive and negative interpretation of the fall of Icarus. The video was projected as a part of a debate launched around the time an experiment to find The Higgs Boson, or "God Particle" was being planned for 2008 to take place at CERN in Switzerland.

'Flatlanders' the debate about 'The God Particle' was organized by Jim Al-Khalili* and held in Guildford Cathedral in October 2007 and nearly 400 people attended.

Recently funded by The Wellcome Trust she is also working on a piece which incorporates microbiology; a rendition of the Pre-Raphaelite painting of Ophelia out of bacteria. The demise of the painting is filmed using time-lapse photography. The work shows a story of death and creation of new life; as Ophelia dies some bacteria escape for a new life and others colonize the painting.

The colors and animation for ‘60 Days Goodbye Poems Of Ophelia’ were created in a laboratory at Surrey University with the help of a microbiologist Dr Simon Park.

The video installation of Ophelia will be shown on a plasma screen and is currently in post production. Composer Milton Mermikides will be producing a sound track based on the genetic code of the bacteria as it colonizes the gut.

'60 Days Goodbye Poems Of Ophelia’
Painted out of live bacteria in a Petri dish the bacteria animate the painting

JoWonder's background is both as a performer and a fine artist. She trained at The National Film School and her mixed animation and live action graduation film The Brooch Pin And The Sinful Clasp completed in 1990, received many awards and much critical acclaim. Since then she has continued to explore the power of images to challenge our most basic assumptions. Combining the traditions of stop frame animation with improvised stories and digital media she has created a body of work that is truly original.

Jo's videos now viewing at the Saatchi Gallery

E-mail : jo AT jowonder DOT com