new and exciting ways. In correlation with lectures, performances, and workshops, the gallery
helps to open up otherwise intimidating scientific ideas to new audiences as well as to enrich
the thinking of many scientists.
“I want people to look at the art displayed
in the gallery and think,” explains Schwender.
“Artistic expression interprets experience and
transforms it into a shared concept. Science is
similar with how discoveries are made.”
Fermilab’s latest exhibition, “Art@CMS,” celebrates the awe-inspiring instrument that helped
enable the discovery of the Higgs boson in
2012: the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.
To say the least, it is no small tool and a marvel
to behold. Standing at 50 feet tall and weighing
14,000 tons, this scientific instrument enabled
the detection of the smallest particles of matter
in the tiniest fraction of a second.
“Art@CMS” has already toured nine countries
and been visited by more than 40,000 people.
The main attraction is a life-size two-dimensional replica of CERN’s CMS detector that
expands throughout the atrium of Wilson Hall.
The installation is rendered via photographic
banners created by Swiss-born physicist and
photographer Michael Hoch, organizer of the
exhibition. Eight other professional artists who
studied with CMS scientists also have work displayed in the gallery. Their paintings, sculpture,
and mixed-media creations bring a visual understanding of this highly complicated area of
study, helping to communicate just some of the
wonders of science to new audiences. Fermilab’s
first artist in residence, Lindsay Olson, also contributed new work to the current installment of
this international show.
In addition, “Art@CMS” initiated public
dialogue by hosting student workshops called
“Imagining Physics: Art Inspired by Fermilab.”
Over five sessions were held at Water Street
Studios in Batavia. Local high school students
were given the opportunity to tour Fermilab
laboratories, learn about particle physics and
make their own art inspired by what they saw.
The work they created has been on display at
Water Street Studios as well as Fermilab Gallery.
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The show has been a great success. Perhaps
there could be no stronger muse for a sciencebased artist. As stated by Michael Hoch, “Why
am I inspired by the CMS detector? You just
have to look at the high-resolution life-size
picture of it that will be on display.” Hoch said.
“There’s an intrinsic geometry that just grabs
you. There is beauty in science that we want
to communicate to a wider group of people, at
the same time inspiring them and making them
curious to understand more about the science.”
Poetic links such as the life-sized replica of
CERN’S CMS detector are not uncommon
throughout Fermilab. A herd of bison roams the
campus as a reminder not only of the geographic heritage of Illinois but also of Fermilab’s mission to conduct pioneering research into new
frontiers. Much of the programming is thanks
to Fermilab’s founding director, Robert Wilson,
who, Schwender says, “believed that creating an
intellectually rich and diverse environment was
an essential part of building a great scientific
laboratory.” Wilson’s vision led to the establishment of the Fermilab Arts and Lecture Series
and Art Gallery, which in turn has provided an
enduring connection between the laboratory
and its neighbors. According to Schwender,
“The gallery itself is an integrated part of what
makes Fermilab more than just a research facility: it’s a community.”
Fermilab understands science to be an integral
part of life and actively strives to connect its
intrinsic value to the public in fun and innovative ways. Whether it is a trip to the Leon M.
Lederman Science Education Center, an afternoon spent fishing in one of its many ponds,
or some quite moments of contemplation in
front of the “Art@CMS” exhibition, Fermilab
continues to combine science and culture in
unassuming and accessible ways. In particular,
the Fermilab Art Gallery plays an important
role in this work by presenting exhibitions that
reinterpret scientific information in a way that
benefits both those working in its laboratories
and those new to the field. Its well-rounded
programming enriches the lives of its scientists
and the local community alike, helping to nurture the curiosity of budding young artists and
scientists about the world around them.
SciArt in America April 2015