T
he creation of my artwork starts with curiosity and the
process of qualitative inquiry. Through scientific research
and dialogues with scientists and historians, I analyse what I
am understanding, and communicate my observations and
discoveries through art.
Collaborations with other artists such as dancers, poets, and
musicians have also played a significant role in the development
of the work providing new and dynamic ways to interpret science.
Each project is multi-referential in terms of the connections it
creates between various scientific fields, historical, and cultural
references.
The master class presented at Arts Education 2018 Conference
explored curiosity, discovery, and the creative process as a
new lens for re-imagining scientific discovery. The art projects
presented celebrate research as a spark for inspiration, as a
journey for discovery, and a catalyst for making the invisible,
visible.
Curiosit y and the Cre ati ve Proce ss:
Re-Imagining Scientific
Discovery
Professor Rebecca Kamen, Artist
“I never made
a painting as a
work of art, it’s
all research.”
Pablo Picasso
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The presentation began by discussing the influence and
inspiration of science on the development of artwork. Some
of the earlier work has been informed by scientific phenomena
including the dynamics of folding, observed in the illusion of
draping fabric in Italian carving, and the physics of the folding
of pollen.
Meta, a series of sculptures created out of acrylic on mylar
and wire, explores the idea of alteration, transposition, and
transcending. Each of the sculptures in this series incorporates
the concept of mapping of time and occurrence, and my
longstanding fascination with the relationship of scientific
and sacred motifs and writings. Many of the works have been
inspired by unrelated phenomena as diverse as Incan Quipus
and String Theory, creating unique, hybrid sculptural forms.
Another series of sculptures Fluid, explores my interest in nature
as a mapping system of energy. Informed and inspired by both
micro and macro views of the Universe as well as other scientific
visualization models such as fluid mechanics and fluorescence
microscopy, these acrylic on mylar sculptures, interpret and
make visible, the fluid energy of matter, creating a bridge
between art and science.
The main project discussed in depth was Divining Nature: An
Elemental Garden informed and inspired by the periodic table
of elements. Since this presentation focused on curiosity and
the creative process in art and science; sharing my two-year
research journey provided insight into the knowledge networking
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