Why is SciArt a Universal Concept?

Science and art are often confused as being at opposite poles of our very rigid concept of knowledge. But is that so? Can’t there be something that blends both? The answer is - SciArt. Read on to find out what SciArt is!

Scientists and artists seem to be at a perpetual impasse on which is “better”. Scientists would say that it is scientific thinking and innovation at the forefront of human advancement. Artists would argue that art taps into the human need to connect, share, and communicate. The world’s view of art and science is so absolute. Two opponents vying for the top spot.

Yet, when for a moment you take a breath and open your mind, you see they are two sides of the same coin. When a researcher enters their lab, puts on the white lab coat, and begins dabbing into their chemicals, pipettes, and beakers, don’t they mimic an artist donning his clothes, picking his paints and brushes?

We are taught, at a young age, how to draw boxes, and then label them. We fill them up with similar things. It is easy for us to understand things when they are grouped under a single title. It's human nature to do so. Be that as it may, in the long run, it is not an efficient concept. It could, however, be improved on by making better boxes.

Instead of having two boxes - scientists and artists, you could have one box- observers. The fundamental requirement for science and art is to observe your surroundings and the universe. Now, artists interpret and present their understanding in unique ways. Scientists, on the other hand, question what they see and experiment on it. However, both of them rely on the same skills of observation, intrigue, and creativity.

Leonardo da Vinci, the creator of the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man, used to rely on his artistic skills to illustrate his studies of human anatomy. Michelangelo, another famous painter, was also the architect behind St. Peter’s Basilica. A close study of Vincent Van Gogh’s “The starry night” has revealed it to be a very accurate and close depiction of turbulence, one of the hardest scientific concepts to understand. World history is full of artists who contributed to the field of science. It is astonishing, that while we have come far in our comprehension of art and science, we have also been isolated from the thought processes employed by these pioneers.

SciArt is an attempt to culminate these two branches. All across the globe, there are numerous efforts focused on bringing out an amalgamation of science and art. Creativity is one skill that can essentially bridge the gap between science and art. Like any skill, creativity is a muscle that must be exercised often. Artists tap regularly into their creative coffers and express their messages via art. Scientists, however, need to come up with solutions to problems concerning the physical world. And while scientific methods can act as tools, it is the creative mind that must be put to work to harness these tools in the best possible way.

Schrodinger’s Cat, the one that's simultaneously dead and alive, is a result of a very creative thought process to help visualize a puzzling concept, quantum superposition. Sir Isaac Newton was struck by the idea of gravity while sitting under an apple tree. In fact, most of his work, including the development of calculus, was done using his own unique experiments and thoughts. The use of ethers as an anesthetic agent could be credited to an attentive dentistry student sitting in a chemistry class. This student, W.T.G. Morton, not only used a new material to make his dental procedures painless but also developed a technique to deliver it in requisite amounts, unlike his colleagues. Now, isn’t that creative and innovative?

It seems highly unlikely that either of these fields could progress far without aid from the other. This need for assistance establishes an inherent requirement to connect art and science at the grassroots level. Scientists learn about art and artists learn about science.

After all, when you are at your home by yourself, you make good food, sit on your sofa, and put on a movie. Now, who is to say that the film is just a piece of art and not a product of science? Or the smartphone that you hold in your hand is just a piece of science and not a labor of artistic aesthetics culminating together?