Deeper message found in artists See Below

By Kate Watson - The Weekly News
Last spring, Dartmouth artist Susan Feindel took viewers on a journey to the bottom of the ocean with an art instillation called See Below at the Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery.
The exhibit was a hit with both viewers and critics and was recently a runner-up for the $25,000 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award, a prize that recognizes, rewards and encourages excellence in all creative media.
See Below was conceived as a total sensory experience that included an ambient soundscape which Feindel recorded using Norwegian marine sediment, muted lighting that gave viewers the impression of being underwater, ink and wash maps textured with tiny pin pricks and 17-foot black and white painted floor canvases based on sonar-scan imagery of the ocean floor.
"One of the biggest challenges was finding a gallery that would allow me to cover the floor with tar paper," said Feindel in an interview from the light-filled studio in her Dartmouth home. "Ingrid Jenkner, curator at Mount Saint Vincent, understood right away the feeling I was trying to achieve and that the dark floor was an important part of that."
In fact, Jekner was so taken with the instillation that she nominated it for the Masterworks Award, putting forth a compelling case that include a description of the exhibit's originality, professional maturity, local and international impact and contribution to Nova Scotian culture.
"You can't imagine how meaningful it is to have people like Ingrid interested enough to write and reflect on your work," Feindel said. "It may sound trite, but it really is incredible just to be nominated."
Feindel took several trips aboard scientific vessels in order to secure the data needed for See Below, and found that the scientists on board were generally very open to sharing information. They came to see art as a valuable tool for helping the public understand their research.
Feindel has always been passionate about environmental causes. This exhibit also carries a subtle conservation message: The deep scars left by scallop rakes and trawling are depicted in the paintings and highlight the need to protect the delicate habitat.
John Macnab's CSDC 3-8 (Compound Spiral Double Cone, No. 3, 8 Sided) was declared the winner at the Creative N.S. Gala in Yarmouth on Oct. 24.
k-watson@ns.sympatico.ca