Blind Faith

A mixed-media sculpture with audio by Henrik Sundqvist and David D'Orio.
2013, 4ft x 5f x 6ft (w/h/d) per cart.

Each sculpture includes a stylized portrait of a scientist — Arthur W. Galston (Agent Orange); John E. Franz (Roundup); Gerhard Schrader (Sarin, Tabun); and Paul Hermann Müller (DDT) whose inventions were used to create substances which alter, control, save and destroy life.

About the Project

Chemical inventions often start out as solutions to human perceived problems. However, often these creations have unintended human and environmental consequences. In addition, they often enter into the world of corrupt forces such as market economies, politics and human greed.

The use of chemicals has helped to increase productivity, helped to protect crops from insects, and protect human health, but what are the costs? Are these products truly effective at their intended purpose? Who profits from their uses? Who bears the burdens of their unintended impacts?

We all share similar or opposing belief systems —we trust without questioning; we look but do not see; we control and lose control; we go forward yet face backward.

As Rachel Carson wrote almost four decades ago: “We have allowed these chemicals to be used with little or no advance investigation of their effects on soil, water, wildlife, and man himself. The choices we make will have consequences for generations to come."

About the Collaboration

Printmaker Henrik Sundqvist and sculptor David D'Orio collaborated between 2011 and 2018 under the alias Sam Arbete — a fictitious character derived from the word ‘samarbete’ in Swedish, which means collaboration. Sam enables D’Orio and Sundqvist, who work in different media, to explore ideas together, merging their distinct styles into thought-provoking installations, prints and sculptures which blend both 2D and 3D elements into a seamless experience.

Any discovery is morally neutral
Nothing that you do in science is guaranteed to result in benefits for mankind. Any discovery, I believe, is morally neutral and it can be turned either to constructive ends or destructive ends.
Arthur Galston — American botanist and bioethicist.