Scientists and artists meet for spectacular playtime

Volume 11 Number 8 August 10 - September 13 2015

Left: Erica Seccombe, GROW (detail), mungbeans and alfalfa germinating in 4D. from a 6-min single channel projection. Right: Anna Madeleine, Sphere 1, 2015, Glow in the dark stickers on acrylic, 50cm x 50cm A still image
Left: Erica Seccombe, GROW (detail), mungbeans and alfalfa germinating in 4D. from a 6-min single channel projection. Right: Anna Madeleine, Sphere 1, 2015, Glow in the dark stickers on acrylic, 50cm x 50cm A still image

Bubbles, collages and magnified seeds are just some of the results when these two diverse groups come together, says Dr Renee Beale.

Something happens when scientists and artists come together – they play. As Carl Jung notes: “The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct”. In short, play is a fertile space for discovery.

“Serious play” has an established history in both the sciences and the arts. This is infrequently acknowledged in the sciences, despite Max Planck, the father of quantum theory, musing that “New ideas are not generated by deduction, but by artistically creative imagination”. But this concept is gaining popularity in the new era of “innovation”.

One famous example is the discovery of the X-ray image. In 1895, while investigating the cathode ray tube, Wilhelm Röntgen speculatively placed his hand in front of the tube. Surprised to see his bones, he photographed them.

Likewise, fascinated by light and shadows, James Turrell experimented with cutting holes in the ceiling of his Santa Monica studio. Despite almost being evicted, he has subsequently created 89 Skyspace works.

The first exhibition for the Carlton Connect Initiative, at the University of Melbourne, features artists working with or inspired by scientists on the theme of light. Light’s great significance to both artists and scientists makes it an ideal medium to examine the play instinct.

The exhibition, Light Speculation, communicates the wonderment of light as a phenomenon and explores play as a source of discovery and innovation.

I hope the visitor to Light Speculation is challenged to think, play and discover.

Control the spread of viruses through a light-based game created by Quantum Victoria, consider colour perception through an experiment by Dr Simon Cropper from The Vision Lab at the University of Melbourne and consume light word play by poet Kay Rozynski.

Encounter a video of collapsing soap bubbles. They seem real, but are produced by supercomputer simulation, initial work from collaboration between mathematicians from University of California Berkeley and VCA artist Gary Anderson.

Shine black light torches at Anna Madeleine’s beautiful Sphere collages and dream of the far-off cosmos. Made from fluorescent star stickers, these curious patterns are inspired by the 3D atomic compositions of crystals and Madeleine’s recent residency in the School of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne.

Plunge into the depths with Katie Sfetkidis, and her work inspired by bioluminescent deep sea creatures and time spent with marine biologists.

See how light refracts off wine glasses with Rob Turney’s brilliantly coloured photography.

Don 3D glasses, and discover the wonder of germinating seeds magnified to many times their normal size by Erica Seccombe. Created with 4D Micro-CT in collaboration with mathematicians from the Australian National University, this work celebrates the power of scientific vision and technology.

Dr Beale is the curator of Light Speculation.

Light Speculation runs until 8 September at LAB-14 Gallery, Carlton Connect Initiative, 700 Swanston Street, Carlton. Opening hours: Tues, Wed, Fri 10am-4pm, and Thurs 10am- 6pm. Special viewing: Sunday 26 July 10am-4pm, and Sunday 16 August 10am-4pm.