About Art & Science, 2nd Edition “An accessible work, rich and well researched” —Le Monde “Attractive, heavily illustrated, and up-to-date” —Library Journal Art and Science is the only book to survey the vital relationship between these two fields of endeavor in its full scope, from prehistory to the present day. Individual chapters explore how science has shaped architecture in every culture and civilization; how mathematical principles and materials science have underpinned the decorative arts; how the psychology of perception has spurred the development of painting; how graphic design and illustration have evolved in tandem with the methods of scientific research; and how breakthroughs in the physical sciences have transformed the performing arts. Some 270 illustrations, ranging from masterworks by Dürer and Leonardo to the dazzling vistas revealed by fractal geometry, complement the wide-ranging text. This new edition of Art and Science has been updated to cover the ongoing convergence of art and technology in the digital age—a convergence that has led to the emergence of a new type of creator, the “cultural provocateur” whose hybrid artworks defy all traditional categorization. It will make thought-provoking reading for students and teachers, workers in creative and technical fields, and anyone who is curious about the history of human achievement. About the Author Eliane Strosberg holds an M.D. and a Ph.D. from the Free University of Brussels and was a Research Fellow at Harvard. The cofounder of the cultural organization Rencontres Art et Science, she has also served as a consultant to UNESCO. Her other works include The Human Figure and Jewish Culture (Abbeville). Art & Science is also available in paperback. To view our complete selection of e-books, visit www.abbeville.com/digital. Melencolia I, Albrecht Dürer, 1514 (See chapter 6.) Contents
1. The art and science dialogue
4. Decoration: a path to hi-tech
6. The language of graphic design
7. Technique and the performing arts
8. An art and science symbiosis
Foreword What is common to art and science? Creation. Or rather the drive that impels creativity. The thrill of the word and sound, of the color, lines and shapes of art. The temerity of the scientific hypothesis which extends beyond reality. What is the aim of a creative act in art or science? To surpass reality. Art suggests the infinite variations of reality’s manifestations, which are impossible to capture with the usual senses. That such expressions are part of a long and complex chain is all that we know. One of my teachers at Oxford, a Nobel prizewinner, said: “We should seek what others have not seen, think what others have not thought of.” Is that not the essence of creation? Malraux lucidly stated this in a text on cultural heritage written in 1936: “The convincing force of a work … lies in the difference between it and the works that preceded it.” He illustrated the subject by quoting Giotto, but could have made his point just as well by discussing Einstein’s theory of relativity. Occasionally, when science reaches beyond its frontiers, it merges with philosophy. Likewise, art can be dematerialized—boiled down to pure ideas. Artists exercise the same self-discipline and rigor as scientists. Creation, whether in art or science, is a long journey. Some believe that youth is a prerequisite of creativity. This is not necessarily the case. We obviously all admire Mozart’s precocity, but equally admirable is the expression of a maturer mind, one whose critical faculties have been nurtured over time and through experience. It is difficult to be thrilled by anything that is too neatly served up. I do not particularly appreciate pure evidence, creations to which nothing can be added. I much prefer to come upon works in the making, which draw audiences into the exhilarating struggle of creation—in which anyone can be a co-creator, a participator in the act of creation. This is what I thought recently while listening to the great cellist Rostropovich who, at every performance, re-creates music with unparalleled enthusiasm: it is this invitation to share beauty that embodies the true act of genius. “Dare to know”: such was the motto at Oxford. Perhaps the opposite is even more true: “Know how to dare.” To dare to invent, to innovate and create, to escape routine and provoke the unpredictable. As the days roll on, until the very end, we should fully reinvent each day itself and dare to paint it with fresh colors. —Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO (1987–1999) Preface The first edition of this book was part of a UNESCO transdisciplinary cultural program. Its style is deliberately casual and narrative; it is not a history book, but rather a collection of stories aimed at stimulating interest in the subject through dialogue. The project deals predominantly with the visual arts. The first part, on architecture, is a general overview. Decoration, painting and graphic communication constitute the other main sections. Music and the performing arts are only dealt with in the context of their relationship with the visual arts. Literature is not included in this work. Given the vastness of the subject, the main focus is on Western culture, although
