Cere Davis is a science-artist, kinetic sculptor and science educator based in the bay area of California. She has a degree in Physics from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and early career working in scientific fields ranging from volcanic lighting to liquid crystals to research at the South Pole station of Antarctica. Her past work influences her current art work bridging the the worlds of interactive art, kinetic sculpture creating new media which foregrounds tactile and physical relationships directly through analog means. Through her cross-disciplinary work she reveals hidden dynamics and material response which emerge from unseen forces present in our everyday world. As a part of her work she collaborates with scientists and artists to inspire scientific curiosity and participatory learning through interactive art and critical making. She is the artistic director at Counter Culture Labs, Artist in Residence in Chabot Space & Science Center, and member of the Thingamajigs performance group. She produces, collaborates and participates in projects ranging from dance performance to science fairs and art exhibits. Her works have shown in galleries, science festivals, conferences and public outreach events internationally. She has been awarded the People's Choice award in 2015 at Oakland Aeolian Day for her acousto-kinetic sculpture and in 2018 by the Awesome Foundation for her opto-kinetic sculpture, Liquid Loom.
Through her exhibits, lectures and exploratory research, Cere shifts our normative utilitarian frame of reference by finding hidden affordances inherent in materials common to our everyday experience. Her practice stems from an interest in revealing what is hidden in plain sight and re-connecting seemingly disparate realms which broaden our normative utilitarian view of nature. Her work are best described as a form of neonaturalism, whereby inherent material properties are re-contextualized to reveal their natural response to surroundings. She aims to inspire creative learning through her interactive exhibits and offer a refreshing counterbalance to our increasingly isolating and sterile urban environments.
