When art collides with science and technology, magic happens. This cross-disciplinary, creative collision is at the heart of everything ANAT does, most notably in our flagship residency program, ANAT Synapse.

ANAT Synapse is a residency program that involves Australian research organisations hosting artists in residence to undertake a period of creative research and practice. The program brings artists and researchers together in partnerships that generate new knowledge, ideas and processes beneficial beyond both fields.

Since its genesis in 2004, ANAT Synapse has enabled research collaborations between more than 100 artists and scientists. We have facilitated crossovers between numerous artistic and scientific disciplines over the years – between sound design and ecology, new media and data science, poetry and astrophysics, and many, many others. All genres of practice and fields of study are welcome.

ANAT Synapse Residencies

We will soon be announcing the 2025 ANAT Synapse resident. Our 2024 ANAT Synapse resident, Jennifer Kemarre Martinello has extended her creative research project into the first couple of months of 2025.

JENNIFER KEMARRE MARTINIELLO + PROF SIMON HABERLE,
THE SCHOOL OF CULTURE, HISTORY AND LANGUAGES, ANU

The Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) is delighted to introduce Jennifer Kemarre Martiniello as one of the exceptional ANAT Synapse 2024 residents. Jennifer will embark on the explorative project titled The Stories Beneath My Ancestors’ Footprints.

“As an Aboriginal (Arrernte) artist, storytelling is the heart of my artistic practice. In 2014 I created my first series of hot blown glass cylindrical Voice Cores, inspired by a long held fascination with the capacity of scientific cores sunk into the earth to access a place’s deep time through the analysis of ecopaleological spores, pollen and sediments.” Jennifer Kemarre Martiniello

Jennifer Kemarre Martiniello, Ancestor’s Red Ochre Dreaming Place. Photo courtesy Jennifer Kemarre Martiniello.

This collaboration focuses on creative research and practice to discover the paleoecological substrata of Jennifer’s Aboriginal and Chinese ancestors’ lands. Mentored by Prof. Simon Haberle, the artist will delve into geo-culturally specific data, exploring the ancestral identity through pollens, diatoms, phytoliths, charcoal deposits, and spores. Her innovative approach blends art and science, resonating with the heart of her Aboriginal storytelling practice.

As part of the ANAT Synapse program, residents create online creative research journals, these serve as unique live documents of the residency and as a cultural artefact.

read JENNIFER'S CREATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL

 

Jennifer Kemarre Martiniello OAM is a multi-award winning artist of Aboriginal (Lower Southern Arrernte), Chinese and Anglo-Celtic descent. Her works are held in multiple national and international public and private collections. In 2023 she was recognised as a Pacific Region Craft Master by the World Crafts Council.

Prof Simon Haberle, pollen count, Kerrie Brewer. Photo courtesy Simon Haberle.

Simon Haberle is currently Professor of Palaeoecology and Natural History in the School of Culture, History and Language. His research is currently focussed on our understanding of the impact of deep-time climate variability and human activity on terrestrial ecosystems of Australia and the region. He is also using his knowledge of Australian pollen to explore the impact of pollen and spores on respiratory health.

The ANAT Synapse residency program is supported by the Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) and the School of Culture, History and Language, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University.

ANAT Synapse Residencies 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | OLDER

 

For over thirty five years, from its home base, Tarndanya on Kaurna Country (Adelaide, South Australia), Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) continues to be the  national leader in the field of experimental arts and cross-disciplinary practice with science and technology partners. The not-for-profit organisation operates on a continuum with varying entry points, including residencies, workshops and triennial events. Engaging artists at every level of their creative research practice, sci-tech-art curious audiences and science and technology partners like universities and research facilities, ANAT believes in the essential role artists play across all areas of society.

ANAT Bespoke Residencies

In addition to the prestigious Synapse program, ANAT delivers bespoke artist’s residencies, with science, technology and research partners from the academic and private sector. As the name suggests, no two ANAT Bespoke Residencies are the same. Every iteration is customised to the project’s unique characteristics and is jointly supported by ANAT and the collaborator.

Previous Bespoke partners include: CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), AWRI (The Australian Wine Research Institute) and SAHMRI (The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute)

ANAT is a global leader in brokering opportunities for artists to work with science and technology partners. We do this because we believe artists are essential to how we imagine and shape our future. If your organisation is interested in investing in the transformational nature of interdisciplinary collaboration, please get in touch [email protected]

ANAT is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, the South Australian Government through Arts SA and through the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of Federal and State Governments.