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A Confession
Let me be honest - when we launched PurpleBlue House last year, our vision was (rather limited) to be yet another Creative Service Provider for startups. Helping them with their marketing goals, and providing them with creative solutions through copywriting, social media management, and graphic design. Around the same time, I began pursuing the Creative & Cultural Business Programme at IIM Ahmedabad. It was an eye-opening experience for me to learn and unlearn about how Creative Businesses are built on the three pillars of Exceptionalness, Rarity, and Authenticity (ERA). Similarly, the key difference between a tech-driven and creative business is that - while the former is focused on product-market fit, the latter is focused on value-market fit.
I took upon a journey of self-discovery, collectively with my team, to unravel how can we build a unique legacy. I drew inspiration from my roots of belonging to a family of scientists, mathematicians, and techies and thought - what if I could blend it with my experience of working with designers, copywriters, and brand managers? Thus came - SciArt (blending Science and Art).
What is SciArt?
As defined by one of the leading experts, “SciArt is science-inspired art form. Unlike science visualisation, it may or may not represent scientific data and concepts in their most austere form. In fact, it may even enhance and (re)present scientific knowledge by introducing artistic dimensions and provoking an engagement with the audience. SciArt therefore deeply deals with the aspects of curiosity and exploration.”
Currently, SciArt is a popular term largely within the scientific community. Many scientists turned artists have engaged globally in enhancing the aesthetics of scientific illustrations, creating printable collaterals and other forms of art to support scientific innovation and research.
However, is it possible to expand the horizons of SciArt beyond the scholars and institutes?
Earlier last year, we began our exploratory studies on SciArt at PBH through interviews and research. One of the key takeaways from those studies so far has been that SciArt is a perspective or a school of thought which is deeply imbibed in our minds and yet unexplored. Here are some interesting excerpts from our interactions with people from different walks of life on SciArt:
"All artistic masterpieces are very scientific, science is hidden inside art."
"Books are a great example of the blending of science and art. Books, if you think about it, are themselves a technology, made a reality using the art of writing."
"In dance, for classical songs there are certain ups and downs, there are different beats and while performing, you need to calculate the steps that go in. Dance is about passion, but the choreography is done scientifically. Science gives structure to the art form."
"SciArt has existed for years. Sculptures are used to study anatomy to get the details right. Or even the way pyramids are built. They are works of art, but a lot of physics goes into them. Colour theory itself is based on science. I think they complement each other well."
"Architecture, for example, how to create more heat without electricity, simple common sense, the way of using mirrors and space is science and the outlook is quite artistic."
"Science is science only when it can be translated, if it cannot be propagated, it will die. We use art to propagate it so it can be understood easily" (Referring to the Instagram Account: The Minimalist)
What Possibilities Does SciArt Hold in Tangible Terms?
When I first visited the Museum of the Future in Dubai, it was not just an epiphany but a vision of what possibilities SciArt holds. An outstanding example would be The Library (Vault of Life), conceived by Superflux Studio in the Museum. It was a perfectly crafted experience that takes us through 3D vaults/imprints of around 2400 species and depicts how the future of ecology can be reimagined.
Similarly, the ArtScience Museum in Singapore is another evolving landmark of SciArt which brings together ‘aspects of science including big data, particle physics, marine biology, and cosmology’ along with the works of renowned artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh.
In the Indian context, what excites me personally is the work of Bangalore Creative Circus which is an Urban Living Lab focused on building a regenerative culture. They achieve this through collaborations with scientists, artists, chefs, and experts. What makes the space a 'living example' of SciArt are the consciously curated experiences, exhibitions, installations, workshops, the permaculture food forest, aquaponics, and their art gallery.
What makes PurpleBlue House India’s First SciArt-Driven Creative Lab?
SciArt has grown to be the core of our philosophy and purpose both internally and externally. While we continue to offer branding, copywriting, and design services to businesses across varied sectors, we are also fostering collaborations with global experts and organisations to further our SciArt offerings. One such case, in particular, is our recent partnership with the American Chemical Society’s International Student Chapter to build their brand assets across various digital platforms.
What next?
The roadmap for PurpleBlue House for the next few months will involve a three-fold approach.
1. Documentation & Research
Through our in-house publication, Iris, we hope to dive deeper into researching how SciArt can impact brands as well as individuals. Over the coming weeks, we will be featuring the work of artists, science communicators, and innovators. We aim to evolve Iris into a one-stop hub for all things SciArt, particularly in the Indian context. Currently, we’re studying the implications of SciArt in sectors such as Food & Nutrition, Agri-tech, Architecture, Renewable Energy, Health & Medicine, Yoga, Ayurveda, and Wellness.
2. SciArt Inspired Brand Reminders & Assets
We are in the process of building SciArt-inspired prototypes which can act as brand reminders and assets. These reminders will encapsulate bespoke illustrations and narratives which will be educative as well as fuel curiosity about SciArt.
3. SciArt Experiences
Last but not the least, with effective documentation and research, we hope to curate micro-experiences such as SciArt Walks and Workshops in collaboration with artists, scientists, changemakers, and experts.
If I had to sum up #PBHatOne in one sentence - We have been an experimentation ground and an ideas hub in the uncharted area of SciArt. The next year will be about turning the experimentation into experiences which will impact businesses, brands, and individual lives. I wholeheartedly invite all of you to join us on this journey!
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