This year’s Vivid Ideas will feature an unlikely intersection between art and science.
Californian researcher and artist David Goodsell will present insights into the microscopic view of molecular biology through his infinitesimally accurate watercolours of cells, bacteria and proteins.
‘I’m very much looking forward to sharing ideas with visitors to Vivid Ideas, learning about topics that interest them and how I might explore these topics in my future work,’ he said.
Goodsell, who currently divides his time between researching in structure-based drug design, and science outreach, said he had developed a number of ways to illustrate biological molecules through art.
‘These include detailed visualisation methods that explore the structure and function of individual molecules, and cellular landscapes that show how molecules function in living cells,’ he said.
It is through these works that Goodsell has established a global reputation for his stunning watercolours of molecular art.
‘I’ve tried other media, but nothing else gives the luminous colour and beautiful textures that come for free with watercolour,’ he said.
With cross-disciplinary collaboration as a key motif of Vivid Ideas, Goodsell said that his presentation would explore the symbiotic relationship of art and science.
‘I’m hoping that my work provides a way for others to explore a new topic, and maybe better understand how their own work fits into the larger context,’ he said.
‘Connections between art and science are becoming more and more common, and the benefits of this collaboration are clear. In my own work, I have tried to combine the best from both worlds,’ he said.
Goodsell said artistic visualisations of biological cells had played an important role in biology since its beginnings, both to document discoveries and to help explore and comprehend the complexities of biological subjects. Goodsell’s art and scientific research continues this documentation.
‘I try to make my cellular landscapes accurate and consistent with current scientific results,’ he said.
‘I have found that science is a very creative endeavour, but creative in a different way than my artistic work.’
‘The process of designing experiments and developing new methods always feels very creative to me – exploring new ideas and testing them to see if they work. The creative aspect of my paintings, on the other hand, is focused on developing an aesthetic that will get my point across to viewers,’ he said.
David Goodsell will present On Making Science Beautiful at Vivid Ideas 2014 on Thurs 29 May at 6:30pm.
Vivid Ideas, the creative professional development arm of Vivid Sydney runs from 23 May to 9 June 2014.
For an advanced copy of the indispensable A5 Vivid Ideas guide posted to you, please click the link and subscribe.
For more information and tickets visit the Vivid Ideas website.
