Lives and works in Boston, Massachusetts
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My recent work is titled ‘Umbra’, after the darkest part of a shadow, since the worlds that I am imaging are not illuminated by light. These alien landscapes are, in fact, microsculptures incorporating insect and plant fragments, imaged by scanning electron microscopy. The sculptures present as post-apocalyptic wilderness, with electric, glowing forms and seemingly unstable dark areas, all rendered in excruciating detail. The monstrous forms inhabiting these scenes appear massive and immense, but in reality the entire landscape is less then half a centimeter across.
Microsculpture 59 #6, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2019
Microsculpture 25 #3, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2018
Microsculpture 60 #2, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2019
Microsculpture 36 #4, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2018
Microsculpture 13 #5, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2017
Microsculpture 50 #2, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2018
Microsculpture 34 #2, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2018
Microsculpture 37 #4, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2018
Microsculpture 52 #2, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2018
Microsculpture 54 #3, Scanning Electron Micrograph, 2018
About the Artist
Jess Holz (b. 1985) creates artworks which give the viewer a peek into invisible worlds, as well as a chance to reflect on the influence of scientific visual culture on our collective imagination. She has just received a MFA in Art+Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; previously she has worked in several labs, gaining valuable technical experience with a number of microscopic imaging techniques. The discrepancy between what can be perceived by eye and what is imaged has fostered her fascination with perceptual systems along with the optical properties of materials. Jess actively exploits this in photography and installation.
jessholz.com
