A student-led installation in collaboration with the SEEDS Sustainability Program brings together art and sustainability through a mythological lens.
Emi Cho is a fourth year visual art student at UBC with a background in sustainability, an interest in history, and a passion for mythology. All three of these themes have made their way into a new public art installation in the AMS Student Nest.
For Cho, the opportunity to turn her idea for the installation into reality came through the SEEDS Sustainability Program. It was a natural pairing as SEEDS works to advance sustainability by creating partnerships between students, staff and faculty on innovative and impactful projects across campus. SEEDS supported Cho’s piece and connected her with AMS Project Manager & Designer, Michael Kingsmill who helped identify an underutilized, concrete column for Cho to animate with her artwork.
From inspiration to installation, the process took Cho on an educational journey: from composing the original acrylic piece, to mastering Adobe Illustrator on a one-month free trial, and solving the challenges involved in vinyl printing and installation. During the project she received mentorship from visual art professor Xiong Gu, as well as Kingsmill.
Emi Cho, the artist behind Night Light adding finishing touches to the installation. Photo by Leah Karlberg.
In his role as lead designer at the Nest, Kingsmill has supported dozens of student-led initiatives, including several public art installations. “I enjoy helping students realize their ambition in their academic pursuits” Kingsmill said. “If someone has a really good idea, AMS will try to make a space for it.” Other examples from the SEEDS Sustainability Program include the Nest’s Run-off installation and the Arts and Culture Trike which can be seen making its way around campus.
For Cho, the installation was an opportunity to combine fields she was passionate about to complement her studies. She encourages students to take advantage of the many resources in university and “not be afraid to sign up for things because there are many opportunities out there”.
The SEEDS Sustainability Program is open to students in any faculty or department and offers support for them to connect and collaborate across campus on a wide range of themes related to sustainability.
Liska Richer, Manager of SEEDS at Campus and Community Planning, says the program seeks to address “all the different facets of sustainability – including economic and social” and that projects can be as creative and diverse as “energy audits, to innovative pollinator houses, or art installations”.
While SEEDS projects aim to advance the cause of sustainability, Kingsmill adds “there is a behavioural component to sustainability because at the end of the day change comes from people”.
Night Light artist Emi Cho (left). A clip from Cho’s series Spirit City featuring the avatar, this time in the distance (right). Photos retrieved from www.emi-cho.com
Learn about other amazing student projects with the SEEDS Sustainability Program. To see more of Emi Cho’s work, visit her website at www.emi-cho.com or download her report from the SEEDS Sustainability library.
About Night Lights
In her artist statement, Cho tells the story of an industrial process that swept across expansive forests to create much of the modern world we know today.
A serene stand of trees slowly rises into the dark skyline of a still city. Looking closely, a small figure follows inviting lights through the undergrowth of the forest, remembering the will-o’-the-wisp in European folklore who led travelers off safe paths and deep into the forest.
Cho hopes viewers are reminded of their own “forests” when viewing the piece.