Science Gallery Atlanta Names Co-Curators for Inaugural Exhibition on Addiction
Science Gallery Atlanta at Emory University has named Hannah Redler Hawes and Georgia native Floyd Hall as the co-curators for its inaugural exhibition “Hooked,” which focuses on the twin themes of addiction and recovery.
Hannah Redler Hawes is a curator, researcher, and writer specializing in projects which bring together art, technology, science, experimental practice, and participatory process. Hannah curated the Science Gallery London version of “Hooked” in 2017 and is really excited about co-creating the new version with Atlanta-based curator Floyd Hall.
Floyd Hall, a cultural producer, writer, and documentarian, has worked across media platforms on a wide-ranging array of projects for local National Public Radio affiliate WABE, Woodruff Arts Center/High Museum, City of Atlanta, Central Atlanta Progress, and the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. Prior to his cultural work, he was a design, operations, and manufacturing engineer at Lockheed Martin, the aerospace and defense company.
Hannah Redler Hawes trained in Fine Art: Painting at Norwich School of Art and in Curating Contemporary Art at the Royal College of Art, London. Between 1999 and 2014 Hannah worked for Science Museum London founding and directing Science Museum Arts Programme where, among many other things, she commissioned artists to populate the Museum with giant sound horns, cockroach tours, rubbish, and a dynamic networked portrait of online chat. She also curated solo exhibitions, directed large-scale photographic survey shows, and established the museum’s contemporary art collection.
Deborah Bruner, senior vice president for research at Emory, oversees Science Gallery Atlanta and says her team is incredibly fortunate to have Hall work alongside Redler Hawes as the co-curator for “Hooked.”
“Science Gallery is intended to foster greater community engagement in science and research,” Bruner says. “Mr. Hall has deep Georgia community roots, and that along with his unique background in engineering and the arts will ensure the inaugural exhibition is thoughtful, accessible, and creatively reinforces the importance of science and research. Now more than ever, public engagement and understanding of how scientific research impacts everyday life is critical to improving our health and quality of life.”
Hall cites his years being raised in Atlanta – with childhood summers in Augusta, Georgia – and later living in New York City as an adult as primary influences on his life. He says time spent in these locations gave him moments of clarity and insight about regional perspectives, how spaces influence patterns of life, and the imagination and ingenuity of different cultures.
“As an artist, I am interested in the process of how we come to define and design ourselves, and how history, culture, and art blend together to construct narratives of place,” Hall says.
Hall holds a BS in mathematics from Morehouse College, a BS in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, and an MBA from Columbia University’s Business School.
“Hooked” is slated to open in early 2022. It will feature immersive experiences using a mix of curated pieces from the Science Gallery exhibition in London and specially commissioned interactive artworks by Emory faculty, students, and Atlanta artists.
Below is a Q&A with Hall on his thoughts about the upcoming exhibition:
How do you think “Hooked” will be valuable for the Emory and Atlanta communities?
I think both Science Gallery Atlanta and “Hooked” will help frame Atlanta — and in particular Atlanta’s cultural and research communities — within a global and historical context … with Emory University being the catalyst for that. Both scientists and artists help document and explain culture in their respective ways. And I think through this exhibition, and with Emory’s support, there’s an opportunity to help make amazing research more accessible and meaningful to our lives through stellar arts experiences.
What do you want people to take away most from this exhibition?
With “Hooked” I would like to challenge what we think we know or accept about addiction and the human experience. I really want people to see beyond typical perspectives and walk away from “Hooked” thinking about a wider range of factors that influence addiction in our society — physiological, neurological, geographic, digital culture, social rituals, mass media, public health, public safety, public policy, etc. I want “Hooked” to be a moment where we can push really interesting research and really compelling ideas to the forefront to add nuance to how we think about addiction.
How do you hope to leverage some of your past professional experiences for “Hooked”?
At my core, I think of myself as a translator. Having been both an engineer and a cultural producer in the arts, I’ve spent a lot of time taking complex, creative ideas from one area of expertise and fostering connections to other areas of knowledge. I think this will serve me well in preparation for “Hooked” and in the days beyond. I love scientific research and have a deep respect for the artistic process, so I’m excited about how those two passions will shape my curatorial perspective.