Waitaki Arts Festival: A Marriage of Science & Art

AN ARTIST WITH A VIVID IMAGINATION LOOKS THROUGH A SCIENTIST’S LENS AT THE EARTH.

He meets deep time and the wondrous complexity of evolution. And it all leads to penguins!

Marcus Richards is a paleontologist at the University of Otago with a passion for science communication. When he and artist Manu Berry met they realised that they shared a fascination for the history of life and a desire to share their awe with others. Marcus conveyed his passion for studying the evolutionary history of penguins, a story closely tied to New Zealand’s fossil record.

This is a story of fruitful collaboration, and how the whole benefits from its parts. By marrying art and science a broader significance can be reached. With a big-picture mindset the ramifications are profound. An example is raising awareness for the local crises of today, like the plight of the Hoiho, the world’s rarest penguin.