Inspiring Creativity, Literary Expression, Building Connections
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Resident writers Michaela Hall, poet Peter Devonald, and reviewer Mildred Burchett-Vass.

Science in situ - by Michaela Hall

Science and art may seem worlds apart at first thought, but it is when you consider all the aspects of creativity and curiosity that both scientists and artists approach their work with, that you realise how many similarities there can be between the two worlds and that sometimes when they come together, it can be truly magical.


An artist who certainly isn’t afraid to nod to science in his work is Danish-Icelandic, Olafur Eliasson. He is most famous for creating sculptures and installations that are captivating both in terms of scale and material and importantly, creative conversations about the line between art, science, and nature. His works often Intend to make us think about the material or setting they are in, with a deeper message about our society. In 2003 he filled the turbine hall in Tate Modern, London with his ‘The weather project’ where masses of light bulbs formed into a shape that imitated the sun. Viewers were encouraged to treat this as a place in the sun outside, where they could relax and take in the rays. This playful approach to science and technology mimicking nature creates the conversation around how we react to both and draws out the parallels between the two, creating a space that is surreal to experience. It’s something we might not believe would look and feel so realistic if somebody described it to us. You could also interpret that it gives a nod to climate issues, the use of bulbs rather than nature as the sun, and what this might say about contemporary society.  

Janet Saad-Cook is also a master at crafting beautiful and cosmic-like creations with a nod to science it’s more than a nod, she uses science as a tool to create the very artworks. The artist created ‘sun drawings’ by the process of working with a range of scientists and technical specialists to use coated glasses and materials that work in unison to form kaleidoscopic colourful reflections of light. These drawings are the products of science in motion in a gallery space, and they’re immersive and wonderful for the viewer to experience, a captured reaction of materials in real time. This is something the artist has long used as inspiration, through studies of sundials, materials, and the relationship between light and time she has managed to directly fuse contemporary art with science.

The pieces above demonstrate how art can help to create a synthesis between art and science, the idea that natural and artificial can mix in many different ways, lending each other’s inspiration to create something new. These works, whether due to their inspiration or process both create a kind of science in situ that encourages us as an audience to think deeper about materials and function. They’re awe-inspiring examples of how wonder can come from both fields and inspire progress.