(no subject)
“Artists and scientists view the world with curiosity and, in seeking answers to their questions, use observation, imagination, creativity, communication and evaluation. The scientist tries to represent a concept, experiments with an idea and tests the validity of the creation. So too does the artist and both lead to discovery, new vision and illumination.” (Scott, 2002)
Throughout history the creative arts has been responsible for incredible changes in society through the influence of works produced by extraordinary minds. However this is also true of science, and the knowledge acquired through the work of many influential scientists. Alex Grey (1998, p.35) suggests that the commonplace scientific orthodoxy implies that consciousness is a by-product of our brain, spirituality and the afterlife as a comfortable accessory for the human psyche to deal with the unknown and a scientific doctrine that places explicit significance on fact based logic. This philosophy leaves no room for the creative endeavour within ‘scientific fact’, as such an interjection would result in unauthentic results in the quest for ‘truth’. However this essay aims to challenge the perception that science and art are innately dissimilar, and establish the mission that both artist and scientist embody in their search for knowledge and understanding of our reality.
While the scientist discovers and describes the world through proven theories as based on methodical experiments, the collective artistic consciousness explores this world also, through a creative process. Since 1965 Conceptual artist Roman Opalka has worked on one idea which evolved considerably into a long term notation of time. Opalka paints white numbers on to grey canvas, starting at one ascending towards ‘infinity’ (Fig. 1). In 1972 He reached one million and decided to add one percent of additional white paint to the grey background of each canvas, signifying that eventually both the numbers and canvas will coalesce to be completely white; a symbolic visual depiction of infinity. From a distance each painting appears to be almost solid grey, but detail photos show the inscription of minute numbers. Although he has painted hundreds of these paintings, they are all the same dimensions and all maintain a single title ‘1965/1-00’. Furthermore the aesthetic nature of Opalka’s paintings entails a fundamental theory in relation to the foundations of existence. The series of paintings consist of tiny numbers, yet these become almost indistinguishable when viewed further away. This notion ultimately resides in nature; the basis of our physical reality is made of atomic structures, which ultimately create our entire environment.
There has been a single scientific theory that has revolutionised mankind, which is the Theory of Relativity as discovered by Einstein (Davies, 1991 p.57). In 2004, the CSIRO exhibition ‘Métis’ continued to showcase emerging ‘sciartists’ including Australian artist Chris Henschke who created ‘Hypercollider’ (Fig. 2) during his time as the inaugural ‘online artist-in-residence’ with the National Gallery of Australia. Henschke has studied Psychology, Anthropology and Geology at Melbourne University and displayed the work ‘Hypercollider’, which deals with Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and the exclusion of facets such as black holes and the big bang which are not explained through classic physics. Instead such theories are explored in detail through quantum physics and it is the disparity between the two scientific doctrines which is essentially what ‘Hypercollider’ embodies. Henschke includes pages of old physics textbooks and copies of Einstein’s notes to create a pseudo pinball simulator combined with a gramophone player and particle accelerator. Essentially the viewer plays this machine, however the ball is replaced with various sub atomic particles which fly around, colliding and bouncing off each other; avoiding the ‘black hole’ in the center of the machine where they experience effects of dilation in space and time. ‘Hypercollider’ won 'World Year of Physics Art Prize' in December 2005 and was obtained by Macquarie University for their permanent collection.
The creative artist intuitively responds to stimulus as a result of existing and experiencing their environment, however personal or universal that may be.
Due to the commonplace nature of science and technology in our homes, cars and pockets, the progression of ‘sciart’ in the contemporary arts and society comes as no accident. Nationally, the CSIRO established exhibition ‘Métis’ is strongly recognised and supported in Canberra for its collaboration of science and art. Internationally, generous grants from The Arts council of Britain, The British Council and The Arts Council of Scotland has allowed the development of the ‘sciart’ website, and financially assisted artists in order to continue such exhibitions.
Art channels and expresses the human condition, global consciousness and nature of reality. The artist aspires to embody these fundamental qualities of our existence, which may not be easily defined or even understood by objective scientific doctrines, however collectively art and science may ultimately reconcile truths, of which both were innately searching for.
____________________________________
1 Métis is proudly supported by Orica, Ericsson, artsACT, the Australia Council, CSIRO, the Australian Network for Art and Technology, The ACT Government through its Cultural Council, The Science and Technology Awareness Program of the Department of Industry, Science & Resources, Canberra School of Art, ANU, Centre for Resources and Environmental Studies, ANU, Questacon - The National Science and Technology Centre, The National Gallery of Australia, The National Portrait Gallery, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Federal Governments Arts Funding and Advisory Body, Australian Geological Survey Organisation, Mt Stromlo Exploratory.