Jue Theng Soo has a BSc. (Hons.) in Chemistry. She previously worked as a science educator and research assistant, with a focus on creativity in science students at Monash University. Jue is an avid proponent of ScienceArt; the concept of assimilating science into the performing arts. She is a member of the Science Gallery Melbourne Sci-Curious think-tank group and has worked alongside artists in Malaysia to create murals that champion environmental protection. The realms of science and art are central to Jue’s self-identity, and she recently ventured into the corporate world in the hopes of exploring how they interlink in a new field.

Hi Jue, can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you became involved with Science Gallery Melbourne?

I was in my final year at Monash University when I heard about SGM’s BLOOD exhibition in 2017. Because I was a chemist, interested in the performing arts (and was a teaching assistant for an interdisciplinary unit where students would learn chemistry through performing arts), I was immediately drawn to Science Gallery. I planned a visit to the exhibition and became even more intrigued. I began to look for opportunities to get involved and discovered the Sci Curious think-tank group. I applied and became a member, which eventually led to my involvement in the curatorial panel for the DISPOSABLE exhibition and now MENTAL.

Can you walk us through some of the work you did with the MENTAL curatorial panel to bring the exhibition to life?

Selecting which artworks to be included in the exhibition was a big part of the scope of our work and the hardest part. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the work very much, it’s just that it was hard to pick the works that were shortlisted because they were all just so GREAT. I still managed to come up with my shortlist by removing those I thought were not exactly in line with the exhibition’s themes. This year was even more exciting as we got to look at proposals for SGM’s new building. To have an insight into the whole process– from looking at designs and concepts on paper to seeing them come to life in the middle of the city, was an eye-opening and very satisfying experience.

How did your personal identity help to shape the direction of MENTAL?

As I had previous experience with DISPOSABLE, what I did differently when shortlisting the artworks this time was that I consciously tried to eliminate personal biases as much as possible and thought of the themes that SGM wanted to convey instead. However, I still selected works that were more immersive as I am personally more stimulated if the artwork interacts with my 5 senses and makes me feel like I am experiencing it firsthand. I view empathy as a core value in life, and as a strong advocate for mental health, I feel the impact and impression of the artwork will be greater if the audiences can experience it themselves.

Jue, is there anything else you’d like to share about you or your work?

I’m an avid theatre practitioner who has attempted writing, producing, directing and performing in ScienceArt productions. In ‘Equation’, audiences were educated with bite-size scientific facts throughout the performance. The play was staged at the La Mama Explorations and Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019, where George Goodnow was the set designer. (A big thanks to SGM for bringing us together!) As a side note, I really hope to see more plays with elements of science in the future :D

Meet the People on the Mental Exhibition Curatorial Panel: Jue Theng Soo