The Majestic Samaúma – art meets science
Art can help students understand the world around them. It can take many forms such as sculpture, paint, sound, abstract, light, real life, models, digital formats and many more. All these modes can be used to help people decipher scientific concepts – to make the unseen world and complicated concepts visible. Art also helps us connect with places and living things that we would not normally be able to see in person.
Joseph Michael – artist
Joseph Michael has always been interested in bringing natural environments into urban environments. From displaying Antarctic iceberg images in New York City to digitally replicating the Amazon rainforest, Joseph’s art installations are notable for the sense of scale they evoke.
Joseph Michael has captured vast amounts of footage in the Amazon for the Raised Up Sky project and The Majestic Samaúma.
Joseph was the 2019 Artist in Residence at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and an Edmund Hillary Fellow.
Developing projects
Projects and ideas are often generated through curiosity. The concept of art has changed through the centuries – its purpose has been defined as representing reality, communicating emotions or ideas, creating a sense of beauty, exploring the nature of perception, exploring formal elements for their own sake or simply being non-existent. Using art to engage people as well as learning about science and conservation is a powerful alignment of two sectors.
Developing projects
Joseph Michael is a visual artist and photographer based in Auckland, New Zealand. Ninawá Inu Huni Kui is President of the Federation of Huni Kui People in Brazil. In this video, they discuss the need for humans to connect with nature and how art and science can help make these connections.
Ninawá Inu Huni Kui’s comments have been translated from Portuguese to English.
Questions for discussion
Joseph mentions that, when you reconnect with nature, you value it more. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
Do you think art is an important part of conservation?
What other art or communication engages you in conservation issues?
In 2019, Joseph Michael and the Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence produced Amazon – Raised Up Sky – a fusion of art and science that takes viewers to the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The project was made into a documentary along with a national tour.
The Majestic Samaúma project is a deeper exploration of one of the trees that had been scanned during the initial project. The samaúma (Ceiba pentandra, English common name: kapok) is known as the queen among the trees in the Amazon. Samaúma live for up to 300 years, with a height of 70 metres, trunk circumference/diameter of 2 metres and roots spreading to a radius of 150 metres! The samaúma is a sacred tree for approximately 500 Amerindian tribes.
Collaboration between Joseph Michael, academics, scientists and indigenou s peoples from Aotearoa New Zealand and Brazil have contributed to the creation of an interactive 3D tool. Stand-alone short films dive deeper into themes of global citizenship through interviews with the experts involved.
Art meets science
Art and science have much in common – for example, creativity, wonderment, exploring ideas, in-depth investigations and trialling new ways of doing things. The Majestic Samaúma is a project that is embedded in art but is also pushing the boundaries of technology to create an opportunity for people to make meaning of science.
The Majestic Samaúma uses drone-captured photogrammetry of significant Amazonian samaúma trees. Footage was used to create an interactive digital artwork that can be viewed as a 3D animated model. It takes viewers on a journey deep into the scientific and spiritual currents of the Amazon rainforest.
This ‘art meets science’ resource allows the user to understand the life processes of the tree – from its canopy branches to its internal nutrient flow and relationship with soil microbes.
The Majestic Samaúma
The Majestic Samaúma is a web-based tool funded by the Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence. A 3D animated model of a photogrammetry-scanned samaúma tree in the Amazon rainforest is at its centre. Entering the webpage, viewers are taken to a full-page interactive visual of the real-life samaúma scanned using drone-captured photogrammetry.
As the viewer scrolls down the page, the animation zooms to a tree level then into the tree to reveal its processes.
The site is useful for teaching/exploring global citizenship through an indigenous Latin America lens.
Please note the model is only usable with a desktop computer.
Art and conservation
How to get people engaged with a conservation issue – or any socio-ecological challenge that is not right on their doorstep or directly impacting their lives – is a question many conservationists ask. For people to engage in a particular issue or conservation cause that they cannot personally see, touch or experience is challenging. Art allows for emotional connections – it can bring the majestic elements of nature to everyday people.
Art and science
Visual artist Joseph Michael listens as famed photographer Araquém Alcântara and Antonio Donato Nobre, Earth Systems Researcher at the National Institute of Amazonian Research, discuss how art and science act as messengers for nature.
Araquém Alcântara’s comments have been translated from Portuguese to English.
Questions for discussion
Araquém Alcântara says that, as an artist, he has a sacred commitment to fight for nature. Are there artists or musicians or authors that you know of who feel the same? Who are they and what is their message?
Araquém Alcântara also says that his job is to chronicle beauty and destruction. What does he mean by this?
The artist has to reflect that ‘everything is alive’.
Araquém Alcântara, Brazilian photographer
Projects such as this one highlight the need for art and science to bring connection between humanity and nature and call for more voices to chronicle the Amazon’s beauty and destruction.
Taking action
Action is different to participating in activities – taking action leads to a result/change/impact as well as learning. Taking action enables people to feel empowered and able to make a difference and provides a sense of hope.
If we lose the Amazon, we lose Gaia.
Antonio Donato Nobre, Earth Systems Researcher
Taking action
Visual artist Joseph Michael listens as indigenous advocates and researchers discuss the need for all of us to take action to save the plants that are keeping the world – and us – alive!
Benki Piyãko Ashaninka and Araquém Alcântara’s comments have been translated from Portuguese to English.
Questions for discussion
Antonio Donato Nobre makes a statement in the video, “If we lose the Amazon, we lose Gaia.” What does he mean?
Matt Hall talks about the importance of plant life. Do you think we can live without plants? What impact would be felt globally if the Amazon forest was no longer living?
What are your thoughts on the difference between what people think or say and their behaviours?
What actions could you take to be an effective global citizen?
Developing action-taking skills enables the development of science capital – science knowledge, attitudes, skills and experiences. It also provides students with the opportunity to see themselves in science.
Nature of socio-ecological challenge
Amazon – Raised Up Sky and The Majestic Samaúma are in essence action projects embedded in art and communication for the purpose of raising the visibility and understanding of a global socio-ecological issue – the destruction of the Amazon rainforests. Artist Joseph Michael has used art to engage and inspire people to take further actions.
Related content
Indigenous perspectives – giants of the forests uses sacred trees – Tāne Mahuta and the Amazon rainforest’s majestic samaúma – to explore s connections with the environment.
Ngā rākau ❘ Trees curates beautifully illustrated bilingual resources – including Word downloads exclusively in te reo Māori.
New Zealand native trees – an introduction curates articles, activities and media. It also includes an interactive planning pathway that groups Hub resources into key science and teaching concepts.
This video talks about the importance of ensuring ākonga | students maintain hope.
Art can be a powerful tool for environmental connection. Meet artist Gabby O’Connor who is applying a creative to science communication and education.
The webinar Understanding science through drama looks at using the arts to enhance student understanding of science concepts, the nature of science and socio-scientific issues.
Use our Pinterest board Visual arts and science for further inspiration on ways to include both art and science in your teaching.
Activity ideas
These titles from the Connected instructional series showcase student and/or community action inspired by a local interest or issue.
Useful links
Visit Joseph Michael’s website to learn more about Amazon – Raised Up Sky.
Visit the Ārko website to read about the technical aspects used to create Amazon – Raised Up Sky.
The Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence website provides further background to the international collaboration behind Amazon – Raised Up Sky.
Acknowledgement
The videos featured in this article and The Majestic Samaúma 3D interactive have been created by artist Joseph Michael with the support of the Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence.
Latin American Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence
Growing Global Citizenship Education in Aotearoa is designed to support teachers to inspire and grow global citizenship education in their classrooms, schools and kura. It is proudly hosted by the Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs). The CAPEs were established by the New Zealand Government to help improve New Zealanders’ understanding of and engagement with Latin America, North Asia and Southeast Asia. The CAPEs are delivered by a consortium of four universities: University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Waikato and University of Otago.
