From microelectronics to pomegranates: A lesson in unexpected intersections
In the world of semiconductor R&D and manufacturing, I spent years discussing the logistics of electroplating in terms of copper interconnects, through-silicon vias, and redistribution layers. During my sabbatical this past July, the topic resurfaced in a setting so far removed from a cleanroom that it caught me off guard. I wasn’t looking at silicon wafers; I was looking at pomegranates. Whuuuut?!
It happened while I was exploring the Museum of Art and Design in NYC. (If you’re ever in the city, make it a point to stop in. The exhibits are consistently fascinating.) On the sixth floor, we wandered into the open-door studio of one of the artists-in-residence, Nima Jeizan. He is an Artist Fellow who graciously engaged in conversation with us while he was meticulously adhering painted pistachio shells to chainmail for a new sculpture.
Jeizan’s approach is instinctual; he works without sketches, coaxing objects and organic materials into couture sculpture. Resting on a table beside him were a pair of beautiful, metal-cast pomegranates. When my friend Maria, owner of Sawtooth Jewelry Studio in Troy and a fellow pomegranate enthusiast, asked about them, Jeizan shared a surprising hurdle: he loved the form but struggled to find companies willing to plate organic matter. Maria, ever the resourceful craftsman, had a brilliant suggestion: “Reach out to the people who bronze baby shoes.” They’re used to specialized, sentimental jobs and wouldn’t be intimidated by a piece of fruit.
It was a fascinating collision of worlds I never expected. One moment I’m thinking about electroplating as a cold, industrial necessity for microelectronics, and the next, I’m seeing it as a method that transforms a piece of nature into a work of art. It was a beautiful reminder of how the same process can serve both the most advanced technology and the human expressions of creativity.
I invite you to explore the art world, either in museums, culture districts, or nature and enjoy the beauty, craftsmanship, and camaraderie it has to offer.
What about you? Have you encountered an artist or a story lately that shifted your perspective on how things are made?
Photo credit: Artist Fellow Nima Jeizan, Museum of Art and Design (MAD), NYC