Surreal System

The VanGo has been inhabited by an army of imaginary organisms. Scientists believe they have escaped from the dreams of three artists. It’s time to investigate!

Surreal System features artworks which blur the lines between art and science. The artists featured in the show are inspired by various aspects of biology, like life cycles and evolution. To the same degree, these artists are inspired by dreams and fantasy.

This powerful combination allows students to view works of art using the tools and vocabulary they have learned in science class, especially scientific inquiry as it is defined in the Academic Standards for Science and Technology by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The show also explores content relevant to standards in Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences.

Visitors will also learn about one of the most important modern art movements: surrealism. Surrealism was developed in the early twentieth century by artists and writers who believed that subconscious thought processes like dreams were the key to understanding human behavior. The artwork in Surreal System contains many make-believe symbols and organisms. They may resemble things you have seen before, but with an added twist. Art experts and casual viewers alike love surrealism for this tension between reality and fantasy.

Meet the Artists

Duration: January 1, 2020 – December 30, 2020

Featured Artists: Dana Lynn Harper, Alex McLeod, and Jackson O’Brasky.

View Info Packet
Welcome to the VanGo! Museum on Wheels. We are proud to present a preview of the latest VanGo exhibition, called Surreal System. The VanGo has been inhabited by an army of imaginary organisms. Scientists believe they have escaped from the dreams of three artists. It’s time to investigate!
The show features original artworks by three extraordinary artists: Dana Lynn Harper, Alex McLeod, and Jackson O'Brasky. We also feature interactive stations and exciting technology including 3D printing, virtual reality, and our very own VanGo app.
We begin with a grouping of four works, which illustrate a word from the exhibition's name: system. As the label notes, "A system is a set of things working together." These sculptures and paintings belong together on a visual level, especially because of color. Look at how the warm pinks and oranges flow from one piece to the next. Pictured: (Top Right) Dana Lynn Harper, Bloom Bloom, 2014-2019, Flagging tape and chicken wire. (Middle Right) Dana Lynn Harper, Sponge Mouth, 2017, Acrylic on clay. (Left) Jackson O'Brasky, Wild Horses, 2019, Oil on canvas. (Bottom) Jackson O'Brasky, My Best Friend, 2019, Oil on canvas.
Another important aspect of systems is that they are often composed of many smaller parts. Dana Lynn Harper's sculpture pictured here is a perfect example. Seen together, the hundreds of Nubbins appear as one organism. The Nubbins are multiplying throughout the VanGo, and we challenge our visitors to find the hidden solid blue, green and pink nubbins. Pictured: Dana Lynn Harper, Nubbin Parade, 2014, Acrylic on clay.
Shell Mouth is another of Dana's imaginary, clay creatures. Shell Mouth comes from a series called the Dancing Microbes. On the VanGo, we are imagining that Shell Mouth has been drawn to the Surreal System because of food. It preys upon the rapidly multiplying Nubbins. Pictured: (Left) Dana Lynn Harper, Shell Mouth, 2017, Acrylic on clay. (Right) Dana Lynn Harper, Nubbin Parade, 2014, Acrylic on clay.
Sunset Spongetop is a friendly creature in the Surreal System. It is mostly known for its fruity aroma. Pictured: Dana Lynn Harper, Sunset Spongetop, 2017, Acrylic on clay.
In this still, you can see an animation by Alex McLeod called Split World. Alex's 3D creation is a sphere-like orb covered in flowers, split horizontally. The flowers bloom, wilt, and repeat. The effect is hypnotic. Pictured: (Top Left) Dana Lynn Harper, Bloom Bloom, 2014-2019, Flagging tape and chicken wire. (Middle) Alex McLeod, Split World, 2019, 3D animation. (Bottom Left) Dana Lynn Harper, Shell Mouth, 2017, Acrylic on clay. (Bottom Right) Dana Lynn Harper, Nubbin Parade, 2014, Acrylic on clay.
This large display case contains hundreds of tiny clay diatoms, ready for closer inspection with a magnifying glass. Pictured: Dana Lynn Harper, Diatoms, 2017, Polymer clay.
We challenge students to find the diatom with seven red eyes. Can you find it? Pictured: Dana Lynn Harper, Diatoms (Detail), 2017, Polymer clay.
The rear of the VanGo is home to a thrilling array of paintings, sculpture and animations -- as well as a slideshow of surrealist masterpieces. Can you recognize the famous painting in the image to the lower right? Pictured: (Left) Jackson O'Brasky, The Marine, 2015-2019, Oil on canvas. (Middle Top Left) Dana Lynn Harper, Triberry Sponge, 2017, Acrylic on clay. (Middle Top Right) Jackson O'Brasky, Left Hand with Broken Arrow, 2019, Oil on canvas. (Middle Bottom Left) Alex McLeod, Pink Convergent, 2018, 3D animation. (Middle Bottom Right) Alex McLeod, Purple Flowers, 2019, 3D animation. (Right) Dana Lynn Harper, Dancing Orb, 2017, Acrylic on clay.
These two animations show organisms changing their state. Note the label: "If a system changes, so do its parts". The animation on the left is known as Pink Convergent. It begins as a sphere and bursts into tiny, pink droplets. Visitors are challenged to imagine what has caused Pink Convergent to have this extreme reaction. Pictured: (Left) Alex McLeod, Pink Convergent, 2018, 3D animation. (Right) Alex McLeod, Purple Flowers, 2019, 3D animation.
This display is dedicated to an interesting episode in music history, when electronic music intersected with botany. A musician named Mort Garson composed an album called Plantasia, which was meant especially to be played for plants. In the Surreal System, scientists are testing Plantasia on the Dancing Orb to see if it reacts. Plantasia is the perfect soundtrack for the Surreal System, since it reminds us that music can affect any and all organisms in a system (not just humans). Pictured: Dana Lynn Harper, Dancing Orb, 2017, Acrylic on clay. Music courtesy of Sacred Bones Records.
Jackson O'Brasky's paintings are great examples of surrealism. The dramatic shading and skillful color gradients may remind you of the most famous Surrealist artist: Salvador Dali. It is important to remember that the meaning of a surrealist work of art is ultimately mysterious, even to the artist. The idea behind the surrealist movement is that truth is hiding somewhere in the subconscious world of dreams, instead of the physical world we observe with our five senses. Pictured: Jackson O'Brasky, Left Hand with Broken Arrow, 2019, Oil on canvas.
These two artworks, on the left an animation by Alex McLeod and on the right a painting by Jackson O'Brasky, show how unlike parts of a system can coexist. Inspect the paintings for organic and inorganic parts. Pictured: (Left) Alex McLeod, Small Forest, 2019, 3D animation. (Right) Jackson O'Brasky, Dusk, and the Loons Were Calling, 2019, Oil on canvas.
We end the preview with Sponge Mouth and a glimpse of an installation known as Bloom Bloom. Bloom Bloom covers the ceiling of the VanGo. It is made of simple materials: pink and orange flagging tape tied to chicken wire. Though simple, these ingredients have transformed the VanGo. As a viewer onboard the VanGo, you will both surrounded and transported by clouds of these pink and orange feelers. Fortunately, they have also become both food and shelter for the Sponge Mouth. Pictured: (Top) Dana Lynn Harper, Bloom Bloom, 2014-2019, Flagging tape and chicken wire. (Bottom) Dana Lynn Harper, Sponge Mouth, 2017, Acrylic on clay.

Meet the Artists

Dana Lynn Harper

Dana Lynn Harper is an artist residing in Columbus, Ohio who uses overpowering color and enticing textures to transport viewers to a realm of warm feelings and childhood fantasy. She works with forms and colors from cartoons, coral reefs, and microscopic organisms.

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Alex McLeod

Alex McLeod is an artist who creates 3D digital animation. He lives in Toronto, Ontario. He is particularly interested in simulating sentience and transformation. He renders and animates his creations using 3D modeling software, not unlike the tools used by video game developers.

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Jackson O’Brasky

Jackson O’Brasky is a painter who creates surreal, symbolic visions of the future. He is particularly interested in the future of technology and the environment. He uses traditional painting techniques and color palettes similar to those used by surrealist painters like Dali and Ernst.

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A VanGo Story

We have created a special edition VanGo animated slideshow for you to enjoy while we wait for VanGo visits to resume. Inspired by early 8-bit videogame graphics, this VanGo story contains animated versions of artworks and concepts in the the Surreal System exhibition.

MUSEUM ON WHEELS

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Visits include tours onboard the VanGo, group assemblies, and a hands-on activity. The morning assembly is approximately 25 minutes and requires a screen and projector.

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