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Fernbank Museum Showcases Beauty and Detail of Lichens in New Outdoor Giant-Scale Photo Exhibit
“Symphonies in Scale: LICHENS” Opens Feb. 12

ATLANTA—Feb. 8, 2022—Matthew Cicanese has traveled the world for over a decade, documenting countless lichens with his camera for science and storytelling. The striking beauty of these organisms is showcased in “Symphonies in Scale: Lichens,” a collection of 10 larger-than-life macro photographs. The new outdoor exhibit at Fernbank Museum will be available from Feb. 12-May 12, 2022 in WildWoods.

Cicanese creates macro photographs that showcase a variety of unsung species around the world, including lichens. His larger-than-life images magnify the complexity and beauty of lichens, inspiring viewers to focus on these organisms that can otherwise be easy to overlook. The collection of 4 x 6 ft photos will immerse guests in the natural world, ignite a sense of wonder, and unearth a childlike curiosity.

“I strive to create images of fascination and wonder that inspire people about Earth's mesmerizing details,” Cicanese said. “The liminal spaces in the macro world have taught me how to unearth conversations between the imagined and reality in a playful but timeless way.”

Found on all seven continents, lichens are a mysterious melding of fungus, algae and other components. With around 20,000 species worldwide, they cover almost six percent of Earth's entire surface, including rocks, soil, trees and human structures. Lichens are incredibly diverse and play critical ecological roles as symbiotic organisms that survive in almost any environment—even space.

Cicanese regularly contributes to various storytelling outlets, including scientific research, editorial publications, public art programs and conservation efforts. While his work itself is inspirational, so was his journey to becoming a visual artist, as Cicanese found connection with nature and photography through partial loss of vision and hearing.

“Surviving meningitis as a baby transmuted my brain and perception of the world. From that moment onward, I became hard-wired to see and understand everything in a completely different way,” Cincanese said. “Being deaf on my right side and blind on my left, I often feel disconnected while navigating the world physically and socially using my remaining senses. Like a superpower, something deep in my mind and heart ignited a tenaciously ever-curious drive. My would-be handicaps imbued unrelenting willpower to push myself creatively while helping local communities through this lens of curiosity.”

“Symphonies in Scale: Lichens” is included with general admission to Fernbank. Tickets are available online at FernbankMuseum.org for $24.95/adults, $23.95/seniors, $22.95/children ages 3-12, and free for children ages 2 and younger. General admission is also free for Fernbank Members. Tickets are not guaranteed for walk-up purchase or phone purchase, and, if available, are offered without access to the online discount.

Fernbank is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta and includes a natural history museum, giant screen theater, and 65 acres of old growth Piedmont forest. To learn more about educational programs focusing on the plant and animal inhabitants of Fernbank Forest, check our calendar of events at FernbankMuseum.org.

Photos for Editorial Use Only (All images: copyright Matthew Cicanese): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gyy84mvng0jgeya/AAABf_Xw8jf1QqpWjL6Jr72xa?dl=0

*Cicanese is pronounced (sik-uhknees).
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Fernbank is one of the most popular and iconic cultural destinations in Atlanta. Known as Atlanta's Science and Nature Experience, Fernbank invites guests to discover a World of Wow through an expansive natural history museum, 4-story giant screen theater, and 75 acres of nature adventures in WildWoods and Fernbank Forest. One of the oldest not-for-profit conservation organizations in the country, Fernbank was founded in 1939 to preserve Fernbank Forest, the largest urban, old growth, Piedmont forest in the United States. The museum and giant screen theater opened as "a school in the woods for nature studies" on Oct. 5, 1992, and is today known for its giant dinosaurs, hands-on STEAM** programming, immersive experiences, and year-round nature exploration. Visit fernbankmuseum.org for more information and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 
**Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.