Nature Network - Recent topics from Science and art

Science illustration course draws to an end (0 replies)

Maxine Clarke — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:30:15 -0000

From Nature News:
An award-winning science illustration programme at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is facing closure.
On 12 August, administrators announced that they would end the programme next spring because of mounting debt in the university’s continuing-education system. The 27-year-old science illustration course, one of a handful in the nation to offer graduate training, failed to bring in enough tuition dollars to cover its costs. The announced closure is the latest in a series of cuts.
The university is still looking for alternative ways to finance the illustration curriculum, says Ann Caudle, the course’s director. “There is a sliver of a chance we might continue the programme.”

There are several comments to this brief News item at Nature’s website, including the suggestion that UCSD puts the course materials online as a general resource.

Science of Art Conservation (0 replies)

Matthew Brown — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:25:24 -0000

I’m looking to interview conservation scientists, as well as to get some perspective on why so few people know that there is a field out there PERFECT for if you love both science AND art. I have been able to find plenty of art conservators, but relatively few conservation scientists. Any conservation scientists out there? The finished article will appear in my column.

Thanks,
Matthew

science and music essay series in Nature... plus online discussion on NN (0 replies)

Li Kim Lee — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:56:04 -0000

A series of essays in Nature ”explores what the latest scientific research has to say about music – what it is, why we make it, how we make it, why we listen to it and how it is changing. Nine opinion pieces from leading world experts working at the interface between science and music discuss how the latest developments in physics, psychology, materials science, information science, neuroscience and anthropology might give us new answers to these ancient questions.”

I am working my way through the series now and am looking forward to listening to music with a different understanding. Sara Abdulla who heads up Nature’s Opinion sections, in which these essays are featured, has posted a topic in the Nature News and Opinion forum

How to host a sci-art programme (0 replies)

William Burns — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 05:36:20 -0000

I wondered if anyone had experience developing and setting up a sci-art programme at their institute?

11th annual Subtle Technologies Festival of art and science explores "light" (0 replies)

jim ruxton — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:06:24 -0000

The Subtle Technologies Festival blurs the lines between art and science. For the 11th annual festival we investigate light as a medium and tool for both artists and scientists. Light is essential to our survival, yet we rarely pause to question the various ways it intersects with our lives. Through performance, workshops, film screenings, poster sessions, exhibitions and a symposium we delve deeply into this years theme light from the perspective of the artist and scientist. Please join us in Toronto on May 24th to June 1st. Take advantage of our Advance Pass rates and visit our website at http://www.subtletechnologies.com.

Specific highlights include (see schedule on the website for details):

May 24-25 : Hands On Holography Workshop, presented in partnership with the Photon League

May 29th : Hands On Photovoltaics Workshop, presented in partnership with InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre and fo.am

May 29th: “More Light”, a film program looking at light on the screen

May 30th – June 1st : Symposium and Poster Presentations, featuring presentations by artists and scientists on light

May 30th : Performance Evening, performances using light as a medium by Diane Landry and Arthur Clay

May 31st :“Living Light” Exhibition Opening, Pixel Gallery, “Light Sensitive” by Diane Willow and “Pixy” by Experientiae Electricae, installations of light, presented in partnership with Pixel Gallery and Year Zero One.

For more information visit our website at http://www.subtletechnologies.com

New Compounds: London sci/art event (0 replies)

Rebecca Pohancenik — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:48:13 -0000

Those of you who like a little anatomy with your art (and who here doesn’t?) may be interested in an upcoming event on 27 May.

New Compounds: Art and Science in Collaboration will feature brief talks on 4 ongoing SciArt projects, presented by the artists and scientists involved and followed by a Q&A session. Projects include a musical piece based on the functioning of the immune system, an artistic investigation of architecture and the brain, bacterial paintings and an intelligent room – all in one evening at the very accessible Wellcome Galleries. You can find out more and reserve a place at www.createkx.org.uk (see Events).

Favourite representation of science/scientists on feature film? (14 replies)

Scott Keir — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:55:11 -0000

Inspired tangentially by Jennifer Rohn’s post – what’s your favourite representation of science/scientists in the movies, the feature film?

Jennifer’s blog reminded me of Sally Potter’s Yes, which features as its lead, a successful female molecular biologist. She’s smart, interesting, there’s even a bit where they touch on her ethical stance. And, to add Nature Network London topicality to it, they filmed some of it at the Advanced Biotechnology Centre, Imperial College, London – well, they’re thanked in the credits, so…

Math-Art seminar at London Knowledge Labs 12 Feb (0 replies)

Anna Barnett — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:20:17 -0000

Of possible interest:

PLEASE CIRCULATE ALL WELCOME

EXPERIMENTS IN DIGITAL SURFACE GENERATION: STOCHASTIC METHODS OF MAKING INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL TEXTURES

An LKL Maths-Art seminar by
Simon Schofield
Tuesday 12 February, 6.00 – 7.30pm

Simon Schofield creates digital images of enormous vitality and complexity, each composed from immense constellations of detailed sub-elements. He uses this technique to capture the vibrancy seen in nature and scientific phenomena, or to explore the limits of drawing and pattern using vast fields of tiny drawn elements and endless reconfigurations of decorative symbols and motifs. Despite their complexity, many of his images achieve a quietly meditative, oceanic quality.

In order to construct these surfaces Simon has developed new software tools that assemble the images over time, using many thousands of repeated operations, according to sets of rules. These are then saved out and printed on to paper or fabric in a range of sizes in order to expose their full richness. This talk will focus on the role of controlled randomness in image making.

Simon Schofield [ www.simonschofield.net] is a software designer and visual artist. His past developments include the Piranesi 3-D painting system, and the AudioROM interactive music system . The work presented in this seminar is as a result of a 2-year NESTA Fellowship.

TIME: 6.00 – 7.30pm, Tuesday 12 February 2008
PLACE: London Knowledge Lab, 23-29 Emerald St, London, WC1N 3QS
[Travel information / Maps at: http://www.lkl.ac.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=32 ]

All welcome. No reservation required, but an email to lkl.maths.art@gmail.com would be appreciated for planning purposes

SPECIAL LECTURE AND WORKSHOPS, 14/15/16 FEBRUARY: “ZOME: A LANGUAGE FOR UNDERSTANDING THE STRUCTURE OF SPACE”
INFORMATION: www.lkl.ac.uk/events/zome

NEXT SEMINAR: 11 March – Cameron Browne [ http://www.cameronius.com], Truchet curves and surfaces

Visit the website and seminar archive: http://www.lkl.ac.uk/maths-art
Join the email list for future seminar announcements: http://www.dcs.bbk.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/lkl-maths-art

++++
Dr Phillip Kent
London Knowledge Lab – Institute of Education
23 – 29 Emerald St
London WC1N 3QS
p.kent@ioe.ac.uk
tel 020 7763 2156 mobile 07950 952034
www.ioe.ac.uk/tlrp/technomaths
++++

London: Neurotopographics exhibition (0 replies)

Matt Brown — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:10:19 -0000

A new exhibition where science meets art meets architecture.

Local photos of science on Flickr (win a camera) (0 replies)

Matt Brown — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 19:28:25 -0000

Our two local hubs of Boston and London have their own Flickr groups.

London Boston

We’re looking for images of science in those cities – shots of laboratories, buildings connected with science, statues of scientists… anything really that relates to science, technology, medicine or engineering. We might use your images in blog posts or articles (with full credit, of course).

For the London pool, I’ll offer a small prize for whoever can upload the 100th image (we’re currently on 87). And because my munificence knows no bounds, if we can get the pool up to 200, I’ll offer my 5 megapixel camera as a reward (I’m going to upgrade to an SLR anytime now, so won’t need it).

So get snapping…

Science on film (4 replies)

Li Kim Lee — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:07:48 -0000

science on film
I came across an ad when I was flicking through my copy of Nature recently which seemed very interesting… the Wellcome Trust are providing (a limited number of) scientists with an intensive course in filmmaking. The deadline is very soon i.e. 10 Dec 2007.

If the Niche prize competition was not closed to NPG employees, I would apply for a place on this course, produce (what I hope would be) a stupendously good short film and enter it for the Niche prize... although perhaps a Nature Network user will take up this challenge!

Call for artistic endeavours: Royal Institution Niche prize 2007 (6 replies)

Li Kim Lee — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 11:20:04 -0000

The Niche prize 2007
To celebrate its 208-year history in science, the Royal Institution of Great Britain is launching a high-profile new competition with Nature to find a work of art that conveys the excitement and beauty of science, as well as creative originality. The artwork will be displayed in their lovely building in Mayfair which has been closed for refurbishment for a while now, more of which has been profiled here.