Vol.
28 No. 2
March-April 2006
From
the Editor
Just
a few tantalizing words were enough to catch my attention.
In a conference report published in CI in January 2005,
Prof. Heinz Gamsjäger wrote that participants of the
11th International Symposium on Solubility Phenomena (ISSP)
enjoyed an art exhibit called Solubility: Art and Science
at the University of Aveiro in Portugal. The exhibit featured
the works of invited artists, art teachers, and postgraduate
students from the university, and was held simultaneously
during the conference in July 2004. What a tease, I thought,
to mention the exhibit without showing any of the works of
art. I immediately contacted the conference organizers and
asked them how we could use CI to expand the reach of the
exhibit to all IUPAC members. After all, bridging the worlds
of art and science seems possible,and more so for a conference
series whose motto is Similia similibus solvuntur
(Like dissolves like). I was quickly rewarded
by my inquiry and received the exhibit catalogue and a CD
presenting various pieces exhibited in Aveiro. At first glance,
I was convinced that one way or another, this fascinating
exhibit should be shared with you, and this issue has finally
come. See pages 4-8.
The
exhibit showed various painting techniques and different approaches
to working with soluble materials. Like dissolves like
is probably one of the most important and basic rules of chemistry
that painters have to learn.Perhaps more than scientific insight,
artists intuition leads them to work with and apply
that rule,and the results presented to us are simply delightful
to enjoy.
In
addition to reproducing a few original pieces displayed at
the exhibit, authors Maria Clara F. Magalhães (professor
at the Department of Chemistry and organizer of the 11th ISSP)
and Rosa Maria Oliveira (professor at the Department of Communication
and Art and coordinator of the exhibit) present reflections
on what art and chemistry have in common. They also discuss
mutual sources of inspiration in creating new art forms and
other innovations.
As
Prof. Oliveira wrote in the catalogue introduction, Throughout
history there are few moments when artists and scientists
have worked together; however, there are many points where
they converge in their creativity. If conferences could
more regularly be the occasion for such convergence, they
could facilitate interaction and foster communication between
scientists and artists, thereby sparking creative minds in
both worlds.
Fabienne
Meyers
[email protected]
www.iupac.org/publications/ci
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