Art and Science

Scientists weave incredible stories, invent wild hypotheses and ask difficult questions about the meaning of life. They create visual images, models and scenarios that are gruesome, baffling or beguiling. Contemporary scientists frequently talk about ‘beauty’ and ‘elegance’ – while artists hardly ever do. In this engaging book Siân Ede asks crucial questions about the implications of science for art and vice versa, the nature of beauty, the ‘battle’ between the arts and sciences, and art and the environment. Featuring the work of artists including Christine Borland, Dorothy Cross, Eduardo Kac, Bill Viola, Damien Hirst and Helen Chadwick, Art and Science illuminates both the world of science for the art reader and of contemporary art for the scientist. " 'Art and Science' is a revelation, written with wit and clarity, showing us how artists have responded to scientific discoveries and theories, from eighteenth century anatomy to quantum theory, psychoanalysis and Complexity. Ede's reading of contemporary art-works is fascinating, and the whole book opens one's eyes to the excitement of both the scientific and artistic endeavour." - Jenny Uglow, author of The Lunar Men "I am honored to be included in this book. Sian Ede has written the most comprehensive and knowledgeable text on the subject I've ever seen, with a truly global perspective. A must for anyone interested in the collision of art and science." - Alexis Rockman