Science and Art, at surface value, may be taken as polar opposites.
Physics is a precise, complex and heavily numerical subject. Art however is expressive, a show of human creativity and emotion.
With the rapid approach of British Science Week (5th March-12th March 2021) I began to consider just how different the two were. When you delve a little deeper, you’ll be surprised to find actually how much the two really do have in common.
British Science Week champions the innovation of the sciences and their immensely progressive nature. Both Physics and Art also require that innovation, a bravery to think beyond what is known and discover the new, the exciting.
Science is an attempt to explain the world around us, and art is an attempt to express and interpret the world around us. When you examine the two closely, their paths greatly intersect.
And I’m not the only one to reach this conclusion! Artwork Abode put it best, ‘Though these subjects and methods have different traditions, and the intended audiences are different, in many cases, their basic motivations and goals are fundamentally the same.’
But what is most interesting, is when the two come together. There is something truly unexpected and magical about art that is inspired by or incorporating the sciences.
Take contemporary artist Dmitry’s ‘Physics of Emotion’ , an artist who also has a scientific background. The contrast between Dmitry’s fluid paint brush strokes at the calculated structure of formulas does in fact have a formulated scientific approach, which works seamlessly.
Acrylic & oil pencil on canvas, 2021, 60x80x2cm.
Incorporating the world of physics into his art Dmitry provides a sense of appreciation for the beauty within the scientific field.
No longer the fear-inducing formulas that stumped us on our GCSE papers, but something to marvel at, something to appreciate – we really should use art and science so much more in our overall education – these supposed extremes really do complement each other..
I love that these two worlds collide and I hope artists continue to find inspiration in the seemingly strangest of places.
Written By: Jessica Rowe
