Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Welcomes Rita Leduc Featured Guest for July Science Speaker Series

June 28, 2023

NANTUCKET, MA— The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that it will host Rita Leduc as a featured presenter for its Science Speaker Series this month. Her presentation will take place on July 12 at 7pm on Zoom. This event is free to all.


Oika artist Rita Leduc will speak about how her place-based, nature-grounded art practice aligns with Maria Mitchell's directive to, "Mingle the starlight with your lives." Referencing her artwork currently installed in and around the MMA grounds as part of the Oika art exhibition, she will describe how her process of direct, personal acquaintance with place creates work that is tethered on one end to "life" specific relationships with place, and on the other to "starlight," i.e., universal concepts of reciprocity, continuity, and consciousness.


Originally from New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, Leduc is an interdisciplinary artist living in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her overarching practice is led by spirited explorations into ecosystems: environmental, human, and organizational. In all her work, Leduc’s process is one of examination, absorption, participation, and becoming. Along this ever-evolving process, she uncovers pathways of understanding and possibility. In addition to “Oika Expedition Nantucket,” current engagements include “Ecology Extended,” an Oika collaboration with Dr. Rich Blundell at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest; GROUNDWORK Interdisciplinary Retreat; The Place Collective; Arts@FSMLs, and additional Oika endeavors.


Leduc’s work has been shown throughout the greater New York City area and beyond, including exhibitions at Stand4 Gallery (NYC), The Museum of the White Mountains (NH; also upcoming Oct. 2023), Mount Saint Mary College (NY), Wells College (NY), Nizhny Tagil Museum of Fine Art (Russia), RAW (Miami), and Ortega y Gasset Projects (NYC). Past residencies include i-Park Foundation, PLAYA, Tofte Lake, Vermont Studio Center, and White Pines Bird Language Retreat. She has received support from NYFA, the Jerome Foundation, Atlas Obscura, Oika, Wells College, and Rutgers University, among others. She has published, presented, and workshopped her work widely, most recently in unpsychology magazine (“An Anthology of Warm Data” and “Other Than Human”); at Dartington Hall for Art. Earth’s “Sentient Performativities'' conference; and at several national Art-Sci events. Leduc received her MFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and BA from the University of Pennsylvania. She currently teaches at Ramapo College and Rutgers University.


The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.



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For Immediate Release

June 28, 2023

Contact: Grace Baisley

marketinginterns@mariamitchell.org

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