Prof. Shiva Tyagarajan and Science Xplore Suisse have organized the science-art collaborative ART LAB workshop “Living Daylight”. The science and art projects complement and stimulate each other to promote creative learning and interdisciplinary thinking. The workshop took place at the University of Zurich, April 23 – 28, 2018.
ART LAB summer workshops are offered to young students, aged between 12 and 18 years, together with scientists and artists. The days started with a science seminar in which invited scientists presented their research on daylight applications, and discussed new research questions in the field. The seminar was followed by a session in which students performed hands-on experiments on the topics of circadian neurobiology led by Prof. Steven Brown and Sara Bernardez (designing home cages and measuring effect of light on behavior); optical properties of light (testing light as a wave and also particle); and solar energy (building a solar cell and measuring the light energy).
In the afternoon, artists talked about their artistic inspiration(s) and professional journey. The art seminar was followed by hands-on art projects that explored how light influences mood in story telling (film and editing); the influence of light and color on perception of space (building installation); and the neurological condition synesthesia (a perceptual condition where a person involuntary associates one sensation or experience with another sensation) using sound art and images.
At the end of this week-long activity, the students presented their project outcomes to their family, friends and general public at the University of Zurich. The official program was rounded off by a joint seminar on science-art collaborations by Prof. Esther Stöckli (ZNZ) and Prof. Jill Scott (ZHdK, UZH).
The students enjoyed the ART LAB experience and also appreciated the introduction to ongoing research at the University of Zurich.
The topic of the April 2019 ART LAB will be “Water of Life”.
ZNZ members interested in science-art collaborations can contribute to ART LAB. Contact: tyagarajan@pharma.uzh.ch
See also: Science Xplore Suisse
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