About – Gemma Anderson-Tempini

Gemma Anderson-Tempini

Belfast, 1981 (Now lives and works in Devon)

Artist Statement

My work generates what I call scientifically informed visions: images that emerge at the intersection of art, science, and lived experience. Through drawing, I develop a feminist epistemology that values risk, uncertainty, and collaborative knowledge-making. My practice operates as a social and philosophical intervention into scientific culture, using iterative image-making to refine concepts and make visible what remains hidden from conventional observation.

Drawing serves as my primary methodology, a way of knowing that creates conditions for slowness, deep thinking, and reflection. I work with materials rooted in place, from collaborative and relational process drawing, to fieldwork for direct observation and creating earth pigments from geological formations that anchor abstract concepts in tangible matter. This approach embodies what I consider epistemological degrowth: a deliberate resistance to extraction and acceleration in favour of patient, embedded inquiry.

My research spans multiple scales, from molecular processes to higher-dimensional geometry. Recent work explores body mapping the mycobiome and breastfeeding as a living biological process. These investigations build on my long-term collaboration with scientists, philosophers and mathematicians, where drawing has revealed dynamic relationships within cells, organisms, and ecosystems, challenging static representations with images that capture transformation itself.

Motherhood has profoundly shaped my practice. My Artangel commission And She Built a Crooked House fused the experience of parenting twins with four-dimensional spatial thinking, exploring concepts like being in two places simultaneously and turning inside out. These are not merely metaphors but genuine phenomenological investigations into embodied maternal experience.

Throughout my work, whether visualizing protein folding, embryonic development, or deep geological time, I privilege observation and imagination as essential tools for understanding our entirely interconnected existence. My drawings, writings and sculptures invite viewers to perceive the world as process rather than object, emphasizing our symbiotic relationships with human and more-than-human neighbours across temporal and spatial scales.

Education

2011-15: PhD in Drawing, University of the Arts London
2005-07: MA Fine Arts Printmaking, Royal College of Art
2006: University College London, Anatomy for Artists Certificate
2002-05: BA Fine Art, Falmouth College of Art
2001: Foundation Studies in Art and Design, University of Ulster

Selected Exhibitions/Projects

Artangel / ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe / Victoria and Albert Museum / Wellcome Collection / Camden Arts Centre

2023-2024: And She Built a Crooked House, Artangel and Leeds 2023 Commission, Leeds
2023: ‘Of Genes and Human Beings’, Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden
2022-2023: ‘The Botanical Revolution in Contemporary Art’, Kroller-Muller Museum, NL
2020-2022: ‘Critical Zones. Observatories for Earthly Politics’, ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe
2021-2022: ‘From Forces to Forms’, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, New York City, US
2020: ‘The Botanical Mind: Art, Mysticism and the Cosmic Tree’ Exhibition at Camden Arts Centre, London
2020: ‘Drawn to Investigate’, Ruskin Museum of the Near Future, Lancaster
2019: ‘Unbounded’, Eden Project, Cornwall
2019: ‘GÄA: Holistic Science and Wisdom Tradition’, Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange, Cornwall
2018: ‘Making Life Visible’, Faulconer Gallery, Grinnell College, Iowa
2017: ‘Temporalities’, BKA-Veranstaltungsraum, Vienna
2015-16: ‘Facing History’, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
2016: ‘A Sketch of the Universe: Art, Science and the Influence of D’Arcy Thompson’, Edinburgh City Art Centre
2015: ‘Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain’, Centre for Contemporary Art, Derry, N.Ireland
2015: ‘Contemporary British Drawing in China’, Xi’an Academy of Fine Art, China
2015: ‘A Call for Drawings’, MaHKU, University of the Arts Utrecht and UCL, London
2014: ‘Drawing Making: Making Drawing’, The Drawing Room, London
2013: ‘Coral’, Manchester Museum, Manchester
2010: ‘SKIN’, Wellcome Collection, London

Solo Exhibitions

Artangel / Freud Museum / Acme Project Space / Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation / Globe Theatre

2023-2024: And She Built a Crooked House, Artangel and Leeds 2023 Commission, Leeds
2018: Bio-Art, Museum of Special Collections, University of Amsterdam
2017: Isomorphology and Isomorphogenesis, Konrad Lorenz Institute, Klosterneuburg, Austria
2016: Drawn Investigations from Art and Science, Naughton Gallery, Queen’s University, Belfast
2014: Riddles of Form, Galerie Thore Krietemeyer, Berlin
2013: Isomorphology, Ebb&Flow Gallery, London
2011: Drawing in the Natural Sciences, Jerwood Project Space, London
2011: Portraits: Patients and Psychiatrists, The Naughton Gallery, Queens University
2010: Portraits: Patients and Psychiatrists, Freud Museum, London
2010: Drawings and Etchings of Ezo, Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London
2010: Portraits: Patients and Psychiatrists, Acme Project Space, London
2010: Portraits: Patients and Psychiatrists, Globe Theatre, London

Peer Reviewed Articles, Book Chapters and Books

Drawing Processes of Life / Drawing as a Way of Knowing in Art and Science

[book Chapter] Anderson-Tempini, G. and Wakefield, J., Drawing as Epistemology: Transferring Artistic Methodologies to Scientific Understanding, in Bloomsbury Handbook of Drawing Research (Forthcoming)
[edited book] Anderson-Tempini, G. and Dupré, J., (Eds) 2023, Drawing Processes of Life, Intellect Press
[book chapter] Anderson, G., 2023, ‘The Protein Maze’, Pattern and Chaos: Making and Meaning, Intellect Press
[journal article] Anderson, G., 2021, ‘Forking Paths: Depicting Mitosis through Process-based Diagramming’, special issue ‘Demands of the Diagram’, Journal of Visual Art Practice, Taylor and Francis
[journal article] Anderson, G., Jaeger, J., Verd, B., 2020, ‘Drawing to Extend Waddington’s Epigenetic Landscape’, Leonardo, MIT Press
[book chapter] Anderson, G., 2020, ‘Moving beyond the specimen: From drawing objects to drawing processes’ in Juler, E. and Robinson, A., (Eds.), ‘Post-Specimen’, Intellect Press
[journal article] Anderson, G., 2019, ‘Dynamic form: Klee as artist and morphologist’, Antennae: The Journal of Nature in Visual Culture, Giovanni Aloi
[journal article] Anderson, G., Dupré, J., and Wakefield, J.G., 2019, ‘Philosophy of Biology: Drawing and the dynamic nature of living systems’, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.46962
[book] Anderson, G., 2017, Drawing as a Way of Knowing in Art and Science, Intellect Press
[book chapter] Bapteste, E., Anderson, G., 2018, ‘Sketching a processual typology for evolutionary biology’, in Dupré, J. and Nicholson, D. (eds.) Process Philosophy for Biology, Oxford University Press
[journal article] Anderson, G., 2016, ‘Drawing Resemblance and Isomorphology’, Architectural Theory Review 20(30) 336-349
[journal article] Anderson, G., Buck, D., Coates, T. and Corti, A., 2015, ‘Drawing in Mathematics: From Inverse Vision to the Liberation of Form’, Leonardo, MIT Press, 48(5), pp. 439-448
[online article] Anderson, G., 2016, ‘ISOMORPHOLOGY: An Introduction to Principles and Practice’, Journal of Zoology Blog (https://jzoblog.wordpress.com/)
[book chapter] Anderson, G. and Corti, A., 2015, ‘Notes from an Artistic Collaboration’, in Emmer, M. and Abate, M. (eds.) Imagine Maths 4. Unione Matematica Italiana; pp.72-82
[journal article] Anderson, G., 2014, ‘Endangered: A Study of Morphological Drawing in Zoological Taxonomy’, Leonardo, MIT Press, 47(3), pp. 232-240
[journal article] Anderson, G., Buck, D., Coates, T. and Corti, A., 2014, ‘Drawing in Mathematics: Geometry, Reasoning and Form’, TRACEY (Online Journal: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/microsites/sota/tracey/journal/thin/2014/anderson.html)

Artist Books

Anderson, G., 2015, Isomorphology, Atlantic Press, Falmouth
Anderson, G., 2013, Isomorphology: An Introduction, Super Collider Press, London
Anderson, G., 2013, Isomorphology (Exhibition Publication), London
Anderson, G., 2011, Artist-in-Residence Publication, Jerwood Foundation, London
Anderson, G., 2010, Portraits: Patients and Psychiatrists, The Wellcome Trust, London

Printed Materials

Hamacher, Sophie, 2023, Supervision: On Motherhood and Surveillance, MIT Press
Kröller Müller Museum, 2022, Botanical Madness ‘Plant Thinking in Contemporary Art’
Morra, Joanne, 2015, Inside the Freud Museums: History, Memory and Site-Responsive Art
Jarron, Matthew, 2014, A Glimpse of a Great Vision: The D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum Art Fund Collection, University of Dundee
Endt-Jones, M., 2013, Coral: Something Rich and Strange, Liverpool University Press
Maslen, M., Southern, J., 2011, Drawing Projects: An Exploration of the Language of Drawing, Black Dog Publishing, London
Richards, P., 2009, Isolated, The Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast

Music Production

2023: ‘Folding to Infinity’, composition and performance by Plumm, production and lyrics by Gemma Anderson-Tempini

Awards

2025: Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award
2025: Royal Albert Memorial Museum Commission ‘Living Labyrinths: Art and Fungi’
2024: Arts Council England DYCP Award
2024: Wellcome Trust Early Career Award (Shortlisted for interview)
2017-21: Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Award (£377K), “Representing Biology as Process” (co-investigator)
2017: KulturKontakt Art Residency, Vienna, Austria
2016: British Council Award, Artist in Residence, Northern Ireland Science Festival
2015: Falmouth University Research and Investment Scheme Award
2015: KALEID editions selection of Isomorphology Artists Book
2014: Collaborator on Leverhulme Research Programme Grant (P.I., Dr. Dorothy Buck, Imperial College)
2014: Falmouth University Research and Investment Scheme Award
2012: Leverhulme Artist in Residence Award, Imperial College London
2011: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Pathways to Impact
2011: University College Falmouth, PhD Studentship Award
2011: Royal Society, Special Project Award
2010: Arts Council of Northern Ireland Individual Artist Award
2009: Wellcome Trust Arts Award
2009: Royal Hibernian Academy Thomas Dammann Junior Memorial Trust Award
2008: Arts Council of Northern Ireland Individual Artist Award
2007: Mann Group Drawing Prize, Royal College of Art
2006: Mann Group Drawing Prize, Royal College of Art

Selected Residencies

2019: Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Ireland
2018: Artist in Residence, Faulconer Gallery, Grinnell College, Iowa, US
2017: KulturKontakt Art Residency, Vienna, Austria
2017: Artist in Residence (collaborator), Barbican Centre, London
2017: The Cornwall Workshop, Kestle Barton, Cornwall
2016: Konrad Lorenz Institute, Vienna, Austria
2016: Artist in Residence, Northern Ireland Science Festival
2016: Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Ireland
2015: Kestle Barton, Rural Arts Centre, Cornwall
2014: Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Ireland
2013: D’Arcy Thompson Museum of Zoology, Dundee University
2012: Leverhulme Artist in Residence, Imperial College, London
2011: Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Ireland
2010: Jerwood Foundation, Artist in Residence (Visual Arts), London
2010: Acme Fire Station Residency, London
2010: Arts Council of Northern Ireland, New York Residency
2009: Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris
2009: Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Ireland
2008: Intercross Creative Centre, Sapporo, Japan

Public Collections

Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Wellcome Trust Collection, London
The Natural History Museum, London
Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast
Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection
MoMA Library Collection
Metropolitan Museum of Art Library Collection
D’Arcy Thompson Museum, Dundee University
Braid Museum and Art Centre, Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
The Bethlem Museum, London

Selected Research Presentations and Talks

2025: ‘Edible Bodies’, Invited Speaker, Ferment Group, NC State Public Science Lab.
2025: ‘Bodymapping the Mycobiome’ Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter.
2024: Keynote, International Conference on Drawing Across Disciplines, University of Porto, Portugal
2024: Invited Speaker, The Northern Drawing School ‘Drawing and Mathematics Convention’, Skissernas Museum, Lund, Sweden
2024: Invited Speaker, ‘Like a rolling marble: Waddington’s landscape vibrant legacy and beyond’, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France
2024: Artist Talk, ‘And She Built a Crooked House’, Central Saint Martins, UAL
2023: Artist Talk with Mark Blacklock, chaired by Mariam Zulfiqar, Director of Artangel, Burton Grange, Leeds
2022: Summer Academy (Organised by Hans-Jörg Rheinberger and Staffan Müller-Wille) – “Science and Art – Art and Research Today”, Switzerland, August 22-29
2021: Royal College of Art, Artists Talk
2021: Royal Drawing School, London, ‘Botanical minds: Gina Buenfeld-Murley and Gemma Anderson in conversation with Claudia Tobin’
2019: Interdisciplinary session (Art/Science/Philosophy): ‘Representing Protein Dynamics: An interdisciplinary approach’, The International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB) Conference 2019: July 7-12, University of Oslo, Norway
2018: Interdisciplinary session (Art/Science/Philosophy): ‘Drawing as a way of knowing Mitosis’ with John Dupré and James Wakefield, Society for the Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP), Ghent, July
2018: Invited speaker, ‘Artistic Research in a scientific context: Methods and challenges’, Society for the Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP), Ghent, July
2018: Invited speaker, ‘Drawing complexity’, 9th Workshop of the Society for the Philosophy of Information, Brussels, June
2018: Invited speaker, ‘Process Philosophy of Biology and Art’, End of the World Garden, Cornwall, August
2018: Invited speaker, ‘Brain Visions: Geometry, Art and Symbolism’, Centre L’Oubradou, France
2018: Process Biology: Final Conference of the ERC Project ‘A Process Ontology for Contemporary Biology’: Modular exhibition structure ‘Representing Biology as Process’, The Royal Institution, London, 21-23/04/18
2017: Paper and exhibition presentation at ‘On Growth and Form’ workshop, Lorentz Center, Snellius, Leiden University, Netherlands, 23-27th October 2017
2017: Invited speaker, ‘Fabulous Alternatives’, Wellcome Trust, London, 30th March
2017: Invited Speaker, London LASER, Central St Martins School of Art and Design, London, October
2017: ‘Representing Biology as Process’, presentation for International Society for History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB) conference, São Paulo, Brazil, 16-21st July
2017: Artists Talk, University of Applied Arts, Vienna, 28 May 2017
2017: Artist Talk, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, 23rd May 2017
2017: Artist talk, Ordering Nature: Fabulous Alternatives, part of “Making Nature: How we see animals”, Wellcome Collection and Grant Museum of Zoology, London
2016: ‘Beyond Impact: Drawing as a way of knowing in Biological Sciences’, Keynote Lecture, Society for Experimental Biology, Charles Darwin House, London
2016: Artist talk, Artistic Research Cluster, Plymouth University
2016: ‘Drawing as a way of knowing: artistic research and the intention to represent biology as process’, Konrad Lorenz Institute, Vienna
2016: ‘Isomorphology’ Drawing workshop, The Big Draw Festival, Royal Society, London
2015: ‘May the 4th be with you’ Science Museum LATES, Science Museum, London
2015: ‘Drawing in the 4th Spatial Dimension’, workshop, Thinking Through Drawing Symposium, London
2015: ‘The Art and Science of Modern Systematics’ Interdisciplinary Symposium, Hannover, Germany
2014: Speaker, Panelist and Exhibitor, University Art Association Canada Conference, Toronto, Canada
2014: Speaker, International Word and Image Association Conference, Dundee University
2014: Speaker, Mathematics and Culture Conference, Institute of Science, Venice
2014: Presenter, Big Draw Workshop, The Natural History Museum, London
2013: Speaker, Drawing Research Network Conference, Metropolitan Museum, NYC
2013: Guest Speaker, Cluster of Excellence, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin
2013: Presenter, Nature Live, Natural History Museum, London
2012: Keynote: ‘Drawing in Mathematics’ at ‘Drawing in STEAM’ Conference, University of the Arts London
2012: Speaker, ‘Drawing Out’ conference, University of the Arts London
2012: Speaker, Drawing Research Network conference, Loughborough University
2010: Speaker, National Portrait Gallery, ‘Contemporary Portrait Practices’ Seminar

Academic Posts and Experience

University of Exeter / Royal College of Art / Falmouth University / University of the Arts London / Imperial College London

2011-present: Lecturer of Drawing, Falmouth University
2018: International Visiting Fellow, Grinnell College, Iowa, US
2017-21: Research Fellow, Egenis, Centre for the Study of the Life Sciences, and LSI, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter
2016: Artistic Research Fellow, Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London
2016: Honorary Research Fellow, Exeter Centre for the Study of the Life Sciences Egenis, University of Exeter
2015: Drawing Studio Tutor, Royal College of Art
2014: Visiting Lecturer MFA, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Canada
2014: Visiting Lecturer, BA Drawing, Camberwell College of Art, University of the Arts London
2013: Guest Lecturer, ‘Science, Art and Design’ Module, Imperial College London

Academic Module and Course Design

2018: ‘Biology and Art: Investigations through drawing’ Interdisciplinary undergraduate module (three weeks), Grinnell College, Iowa, US
2023: Artistic Research Intensive Workshop (five days), l’Ecole Média Art du Grand Chalon (EMA) 14/03/23 – 17/03/23
2022: ‘Creative Morphology’ Masterclass (three days), 14-16th March, Oslo National Academy of the Arts

Selected Drawing Workshops and Courses

2024: DIY Breastfeeding Images; bio-psycho-social-spatial-cultural-visual, Cambridge Lactation Network, Cambridge University
2023: 4D Yoga; Asana, meditation and visualisation workshop, And She Built a Crooked House, Leeds
2022: ‘Drawing and making the fourth spatial dimension’ Summer Academy (Organised by Hans-Jörg Rheinberger and Staffan Müller-Wille) – “Science and Art – Art and Research Today”, Switzerland, August 22-29
2021: ‘Relational Process Drawing’, ZKM Centre for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Germany
2019: ‘Drawing life’, British Science Festival, Coventry
2019: ‘Drawing dynamic form’, Eden Project, Cornwall
2018: ‘Observation and Visualisation in Art and Science’, Camden Arts Centre, London (Weekend Enquiry)
2018: ‘Drawing Information’, 9th Workshop of the Society for the Philosophy of Information, Brussels, June
2018: ‘Molecules of Life: Exploring Proteins through drawing, movement and origami’, The Eden Project, Cornwall
2018: Drawing Lab Series ‘Transformations of Light’, Vollmer Lab, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter
2017: Drawing Lab Series ‘Choreographing Mitosis’, Wakefield Lab, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter
2017: ‘On Growth and Form’ workshop, Lorentz Center, Snellius, Leiden University, Netherlands, 23-27th October 2017
2016: ‘Isomorphology with the Natural History Museum collections’, The Big Draw Highlight Event, The Royal Society, London
2016: ‘Isomorphogenesis: Drawing images of development’, Konrad Lorenz Institute, Vienna, Austria
2016: ‘Artistic fieldwork and plant identification in the field’ in collaboration with Dr. Colin French, as part of GROUNDWORK, Arts Council Funded Project
2015: CMADC Workshop ‘The Isomorphology of the Lizard’ in collaboration with Dr. Colin French, Loe Bar and Cornwall Morphology and Drawing Centre, Cornwall
2015: CMADC Workshop ‘Drawing in the Fourth Spatial Dimension’ in collaboration with mathematician Prof. Alessio Corti, Cornwall Morphology and Drawing Centre, Cornwall
2015: CMADC Workshop ‘Drawing the Six Crystal Systems’ in collaboration with mineralogist Courtenay Smayle, Cornwall Morphology and Drawing Centre, Cornwall
2015: CMADC Workshop ‘The Art and Science of Systematics’ in collaboration with Dr. Gavin Broad, Cornwall Morphology and Drawing Centre, Cornwall
2015: ‘Observation, Microscopy and Morphology’, Royal College of Art in collaboration with Natural History Museum
2015: ‘Drawing and Dance’ Collaboration with dancer Katrina Brown, Falmouth University
2015: ‘Isomorphology workshop at Eden’, The Eden Project, Cornwall
2015: ‘Drawing in the Fourth Spatial Dimension’, in collaboration with mathematician Prof. Alessio Corti, Thinking Through Drawing Symposium, The Bargehouse, Southbank, London
2014: ‘Creative Morphology’ in ‘Drawing Making: Making Drawing’, Drawing Room, London
2014: ‘Experimenting with observational drawing and algorithm in response to natural form’, The Big Draw, Natural History Museum
2013: ‘Drawing resemblances of the Animal, Mineral, Vegetable’, Grant Museum, London
2013: ‘Deconstructing Morphology’, Natural History Museum, Berlin
2013: ‘Goethean observation and artistic fieldwork’, Cill Rialaig Art Project, Co. Kerry, Ireland
2012: ‘Goethean observation and drawing in scientific practice’, Natural History Museum London (for NHM scientists)
2011: ‘Drawing and Microscopy’, Biosciences Department, Exeter University
2011: ‘Drawing Plant Form and Symmetry’, Tresco Abbey Gardens, Isles of Scilly

Professional and Community Services

2025: Peer reviewer, JAR (Journal for Artistic Research)
2018: Judge for the Big Draw Awards, London
2017: Co-organiser, ‘On Growth and Form’ interdisciplinary conference, Lorentz Center, Snellius, Leiden University, Netherlands, 23-27th October 2017
2017: PhD Examiner, University of Newcastle, Australia, 2017
2016-present: Founder and convener, ‘Art and Science Interest Group’, Natural History Museum, London
2016-present: Curator of online drawing research page for ‘The Big Draw’ organisation
2014-15: Founder and Director, Cornwall Morphology and Drawing Centre, CAST, Cornwall
2015: Coordinator for Arts Stream, Interdisciplinary Symposium, Hannover, Germany
2015-present: Reviewer, Leonardo Journal, MIT Press
2014-present: Founder and convener of Falmouth University ‘Drawing Research in Art & Science Group’
2014: Creative Exchange Affiliate, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter
2014-present: Reviewer, TRACEY Journal of Drawing Research

Academic Affiliations

2021-present: Honorary Research Fellow, Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter
2018: International Visiting Scholar, Grinnell College, Iowa, US
2017-20: Research Fellow, Egenis, Centre for the Study of the Life Sciences, and LSI, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter
2017: Fellow, Konrad Lorenz Institute, Klosterneuburg, Austria
2017: RANE Research Associate, Falmouth University
2017: Co-Covener of ‘On Growth and Form’ week long workshop, Lorentz Center, Snellius, Leiden University, Netherlands, 23-27th October 2017
2016: Honorary Research Fellow, Egenis, University of Exeter
2016-present: Drawing Research Associate, The Big Draw
2014-present: Creative Exchange Affiliate, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter

Maternity Leave

January 2020-November 2020

Other Qualifications

2016-2018: Devon School of Yoga 500 Hours Teaching Training Diploma
2002: Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) ‘World Youth Millennium Award’ Recipient