SEISMA Magazine has teamed up with GIANT to present SEISMIC: ART MEETS SCIENCE, a group exhibition which draws on a broad scope of scientific themes to explore the numerous links between science and the arts.
Featuring artists: Uli Ap, Edward Burtynsky, 0rphan Drift, Peter Matthews, Claire Morgan, Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva, Lisa Pettibone, Shuster + Moseley, David Rickard, Troika.
Curated by Paul Carey-Kent, SEISMIC: ART MEETS SCIENCE will run from 28th October 2023 to 20th January 2024.
In SEISMIC: ART MEETS SCIENCE, ten artists present works inspired by or connected to specific scientific ideas, in an intriguing and dynamic exhibition that comprises painting, photography, film, sculpture and installation. The exhibition presents a diverse collection of mediums, styles and aesthetics – bringing to light fresh angles from which to approach the work, and raising surprising, often fascinating questions.
The works themselves do not set out to explain the science, but instead take off from scientific concerns to arrive at art that engages with scientific issues. Bringing original perspectives to sit alongside art historical understandings, the exhibition is unique in its inclusion of not one form of commentary, but two. In relation to each work, Carey-Kent’s art world viewpoint can be read alongside an informative text by a relevant scientific expert. The scientists set out the nature of the science in a manner which is not simply explanatory and interesting, but also engaging and understandable for viewers of all backgrounds.
Astrophysicist Professor Bill Chaplin comments on David Rickard’s new installation, which delves into the phenomenon of cosmic rays; biomedical scientist Dr Caroline Pellet-Many explains what lies behind Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva’s sculptural use of guts; and Machine Learning Designer George Simms explores what 0rphan Drift’s consideration of the octopus tells us about artificial intelligence.
In addition, cosmologist Pippa Cole comments on Shuster + Moseley’s sculptural installation; remote sensing scientist Andrew Fleming explores Troika’s film and painting; astrophysicist Tom Kitching writes about Lisa Pettibone’s installation; and Peter Matthews’ paintings are considered by oceanographer Dale Stokes. Uli Ap’s film installation and performance is explored by computer scientist Eva Cetini?, Edward Burtynsky’s photographs by geologist Graham Shields and Claire Morgan’s sculptural work by entomologist Ross Piper.
SEISMIC: ART MEETS SCIENCE, 28th October – 20th January 2024, GIANT, The Bobby’s Building, The Square, Bournemouth, BH2 5LY
Opening reception: Friday 27 October, 6 – 8pm
SEISMA Magazine is a publication exploring synergies between the sciences and the arts with the aim of sparking further interdisciplinary exchange and innovation. To encourage and facilitate these exchanges, SEISMA runs an online platform, publishes a biannual print and digital edition, and supports collaborative working through SciArts commissions.
Published content comprises original creative works, interviews, secondary research review papers, and analytical articles, with two key threads in mind – to chart current developments in SciArts research and to investigate possibilities for the future. Interviews thus far have included a discussion on food in space with astronaut Nicole Stott, astrophysicist Professor Roberto Trotta, and chef Quentin Vicas, a debate between Professors John Kounios and Anna Abraham on the neuroscience of creativity, and conversations with artists Sougwen Chung and Refik Anadol about their creative collaborations with robotics and AI respectively.
The novelist and physicist Charles Snow believed that discourse between the ‘two cultures’ of science and art ‘ought to produce creative chances [and] breakthroughs’. With the recent resurgence in individuals and institutions interested in SciArts experimentation, SEISMA believes there are many more breakthroughs on the horizon. seismamag.com
