Lewis Andrews moved to Leeds in 2016 to study a BA(Hons) in Fine Art at Leeds Arts University. After graduating in 2019, Lewis continues to work in Leeds. In 2022, Lewis completed his Postgraduate Fine Arts Degree at Leeds Arts University, graduating with a Masters Degree in the Creative Arts. During his Master’s Degree, Lewis’s practice became deeply focused on the methodology of translating information and data from sources within science into artworks. Lewis has continued to work and build upon this method in his work constructing a theory of working called ‘The Informative Encounter’.
Lewis has participated in exhibitions up and down the country and internationally with many notable achievements. Lewis held his first solo show '186,000mi/s' whilst studying at Leeds Arts University in 2018 at Wharf Chambers, Leeds, UK. Lewis was one of the artists picked to participate in the Aon Community Art Awards program 2019 - 2021 with his oceanic sublime photography work displayed in Aon Headquarters, London. In November 2020, Lewis was selected to participate in the Mayes Creative Watching the Sun: Virtual Residency alongside other artists interested in astronomy and ancient astrology. Lewis went on to participate in two more virtual arts-science residences with Mayes Creative and work from the residency was included in a publication which was then included within the Royal Astronomy Society Archive. To name a few of his achievements as Lewis continues to work from his studio based in Leeds, UK.
Lewis’s work acts as a conduit between the realms of art and science. The supply of information from science fuels the production of visual material which in turn communicates the knowledge of a scientific endeavour. In short, Lewis’s work focuses on dealing with complex thoughts, ideas, and facts within nature and science. Some explore those in which we seem to be overshadowed and overpowered in comparison by the vast distances, size, or quantities. Others investigate moments of extreme power, creation, and rebirth on a molecular scale or on a scale comparable to that of the universe. Questioning our relationships, place, and role within the universe, environment, and natural spaces.
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- New Knowledge
- New Viewpoints / Impossible Viewpoints
- Comprehension
- Visualising Data
- Collapsing Distances
- Answering Questions
- Open Up Conversations
- Condensing Information
- A Catalyst for information
- Understanding or attempting to Understand
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The ten characteristics stated are the result of investigations conducted during Lewis’s time on his master's degree in attempting to understand ‘The Informative Encounter’ as a methodology of working. Similarities between all of them can be made in the sense of them all being used to try and understand or attempt to understand an entity, process, or scientific data. So much so that ‘Understanding or attempting to understand’ is its characteristic. Every piece of work within Lewis’s practice also conforms to one or more of the characteristics.
So, if there is a heavy focus on attempting to try and understand scientific information, one must ask the question of where the artwork comes in and play a role. The answers are also within the characteristics. Take for example Lewis’s ‘Cosmos’ drawings which offer a new perspective to the viewer other than the photograph from a telescope. Collapsing the distances has been used in Lewis’s ‘Origins’ artworks to establish the links between the atoms in your body to the delicate life cycles of stars which fuse these same atoms within their cores before dying in spectacular explosions, a supernova. It’s for this reason that the characteristics above are not just those of the resulting artworks, but also Lewis’s practice as a whole.
6CO2 + 6H2O = C6H12O6 + 6O2
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210mm x 290 (x18) & 290 x 420mm. Indian Ink on Watercolour Paper & Giclee Print on Paper. 2022. NFS
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Born from the same storytelling approach as sister artwork '68 Million', '6CO2 + 6H2O = C6H12O6 = 6O2' visualizes a brief overview of oxygenic photosynthesis within plant cells. As we know, it's because of this process that we have a bountiful supply of Oxygen in the air for us to breathe; as well as the separate oxygenic photosynthesis that occurs in Cyanobacteria.
Consisting of 19 individual pieces to form the artwork, we begin with the two products of light & water before progressing into the plant cell. Within those is the Thylakoid where light-dependent reactions occur to split water releasing Oxygen and creating the molecules NADPH & ATP. CO2 is added within the Calvin Cycle, and this process's product will eventually go on within the plant to produce sugar.
Viral Annihilation - Influenza
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297mm x 420mm (x57). Photograph, Giclee Print & Indian Ink & Ink & Pen on Watercolour Paper. 2023. NFS
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‘Viral Annihilation - Influenza’ follows a similar story to the sister artwork ‘Bacterium Apocolypse’. However, the focus shifts to a much more menacing foe. The Influenza virus has been the yearly tyrant we’ve all encountered at some point, particularly in winter. With thousands of flu-related deaths each year, this foe poses more of a challenge to your immune system and will require more microscopic biological weapons to be activated.
The story begins with a simple act: a cough. Water droplets loaded with the virus become airborne eventually reaching a new victim. Once breathed in, the water droplets unload their virus packages and the virus goes to work taking over cells and multiplying itself. Once the Immune system becomes aware of an infection, your microscopic weapons begin activating. ‘Viral Annihilation - Influenza’ progresses
through each stage of the infection and the Immune Cells that become active. Both the Innate and Adaptive Immune systems are activated and all your weapons begin to work together to tackle the virus.
Critical parts and processes of the immune response are highlighted with the use of color and text. ‘Viral Annihilation - Influenza’ highlights one of the many intense microscopic battles your immune system is put under every single day from invasive micro-organisms trying to make you their new home.
Bacterium Apocalypse
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297mm x 420mm x45. Photograph, Giclee Print & Indian Ink & Ink on Watercolour Paper. 2023.
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Description: ‘Bacterium Apocalypse’ is the third ‘Story Artwork’ (68 Million & 6CO2 + 6H2O = C6H12O6 + 6O2) and visually tells a story which unknown to you is experienced every day by your Immune System. Second, only to the human brain, the Immune system is the most complex system within your body and every day it’s under attack. The work touches upon how a simple cut is to your cells a fight for life or death.
‘Bacterium Apocalypse’ starts the story with a small cut and shows nearby bacteria taking the opportunity to invade and start stealing your resources. The Immune response follows going cell by cell with each calling in reinforcement if necessary. With this particular pathogen, the Innate Immune System and Adaptive Immune System are both activated, and their specialist cells are shown in order of activation.
Critical parts and processes of the immune response are highlighted with the use of colour and text. A great example would be the two-stage activation cells have in place to stop accidental activation and possible harm to yourself; your Immune system can just as easily kill you if left unchecked. The story comes to an end with all our ‘weapons’ coming together and defeating the infection. Most of your Immune cells will then die as they no longer have a purpose. However, a few will turn into memory cells and remember this specific pathogen. This is how immunity works and as a result, the pathogen within the artwork we have now become immune to if another infection occurs.