Dr Elsa Panciroli is a palaeontologist whose research focuses on the anatomy and evolution of extinct animals, and what this tells us about their life-history and ecology. She is especially interested in the evolution of mammals, but also works on other groups including the ancestors of mammals, salamanders, and reptiles including dinosaurs. She carries out a lot of work on fossils from the Isle of Skye and has written two popular science books, aswell as prose and poetry. She is an Associate Researcher at National Museums Scotland, and until recently was a Research Fellow at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Lauren and Elsa undertook field work in Skye, exploring the history of significant fossil finds across the island and the potential role fossils played in Skye stories, myth and folklore. Lauren and Elsa learned more from local knowledge around the roles palaeontology and archaeology could play in the community, and presented a public talk at ATLAS Arts, August 2023.
Working with University of Strathclyde’s Tomography department and the National Research Facility for Lab X‑ray CT (NXCT) at the µ‑VIS X‑ray Imaging Centre, University of Southampton Lauren used X‑ray/CT scanning technologies to scan fossils (borrowed on short term loan) non-invasively, accessing what is beyond‘sight’. Printed copies of unexcavated samples generate replicas of what is held‘unheard’ inside the earth and form part of a new cluster of sculptures.
From these, Lauren also developed a new series of sculptures using mineral and hydrophobic materials – materials which positively contribute to a live ecosystem. In discussion with mineralogists, these objects incorporate minerals from the land, which return to the ground over the object’s lifetime.
This scanning imaging can be seen in the moving image work at Staffin Dinosaur Museum, alongside 3D printed voided fossil objects, at the indoor exhibition at Kilmuir and Stenscholl Church and mineral material on Romesdal hill. Elsa also contributes to the walk at Romesdal, 20th July and a new essay text published for the first time in the Samhla publication (available from ATLAS Arts office, Portree and at the exhibition launch 19th July, Glendale Community Hall).
XCT scanning was performed by the National Research Facility for Lab X‑ray CT (NXCT) at the µ‑VIS X‑ray Imaging Centre, University of Southampton, through the UK Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant EP/T02593X/1