Science to Art Award 2015 taking submissions

I keep bumping into ideas about the combination of science and art recently. I wonder if that’s because scientists are, at heart, deeply creative people?

The NHMRC 2015 Science to Art Award is now taking submissions. The Award recognises outstanding examples of the art that has arisen from research funded by NHMRC.

The idea of science and pictures does scratch at the surface of the deeper question of what makes art. The recent announcement of Peter Lik selling a photograph of a canyon for $6.5 million gave rise to some discussion about the difference between something that is art and something that is a recording of nature. Even if that is a valid differentiation, most scientists who show their work do so to simply demonstrate the wonder of nature and what they are studying – and making people think has always been a core part of any artistic endevour.

The 2013 Award was won by this intriguing picture: Neural spiderwebs – unlocking the secrets of laser irradiation for pain therapy by Dr Michael Lovelace and colleagues, The University of Sydney.

For more information on the NHMRC 2015 Science to Art Award see the less than artistic website.