Collegium Helveticum
Switzerland
fellow
Gina Gibson
2024-2025
Home institution
Black Hills State University
Country of origin (home institution)
United States
Discipline(s)
Arts and arts studies
Theme(s)
Digital Society
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Gina Gibson is a visual artist and Professor of Digital Communication at Black Hills State University (US). In 2020 she became the first artist-in-residence at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota (US). SURF, the deepest underground laboratory in the United States, extends a mile below the surface and hosts cutting-edge experiments in dark matter and neutrino physics, as well as biology, geology, and engineering. The site is also the former location of the historic Homestake Gold Mine. The success of the inaugural artist in residence program led to a new partnership between the Black Hills State University and SURF and the appointment of Gina as the coordinator of the SURF Artist-in-Residence program (SURF AiR).
Gina’s work is interdisciplinary, often exploring themes of science, history, and place. Her recent exhibitions venues include the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (US) and the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (US). Currently, her work is on display at the science pavilion at the University of Zurich (CH).
Gina is a visiting professor and artist-in-residence at the University of Zurich (UZH) in the Department of Physics. During her fellowship, she will collaborate with researchers to create a new body of artwork, engaging with the scientific community and exploring the intersection of art and physics
Research Project
Exploring the Field of Particle Physics: A New Body of Artwork
During her visiting professorship in the Department of Physics at the University of Zurich (UZH) and her fellowship at the Collegium, Gina Gibson collaborates with researchers to create a new body of artwork that explores the field of particle physics. She will draw inspiration from the academic landscape of Zurich, integrating scientific themes into her creative process.
A significant milestone in Gibson’s career was her tenure as the first artist-in-residence at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) from 2019 to 2020. During this residency, she produced artwork inspired by the unique location of SURF, a former gold mine, as well as the history and scientific experiments conducted there. Gina also played a pivotal role in establishing the Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program at SURF, which has since grown in both scope and impact.
During her time in Zurich, Gibson’s goal is to not only create a new body of work but also to help establish a successful AiR program within the Department of Physics at UZH, building on her experience and success at SURF.
Research Interests:
artistic research; science and art; particle physics; physics; artist-in-residence; creative process; science communication; interdisciplinary collaboration; University of Zurich; underground research; scientific inspiration; art and technology; public engagement.