Dates: February 25
March 20, 25, 26
Cost: Free and open to the public
Presentations
Science + Earth = Art: How to Stretch a Rock
February 25 at 7:00 p.m. | Gaines 101
One does not have to live in Bozeman for long before hearing of Josh DeWeese and Dean Adams, homegrown, yet internationally respected ceramic artists and co-founders of the International Wild Clay Research Project. DeWeese and Adams will present a visually beautiful and interesting presentation about ceramic art and the connections with chemistry, geology, physics, sustainability, and culture. Take this opportunity to learn how the most ubiquitous material on Earth can be used as a vehicle for trans-disciplinary discovery and exploration.
The Art of Light: Abelardo Morell & the Camera Obscura
March 20 at 5:30 p.m. | Gaines 101
Physics may account for the physical behavior of light, but Abelardo Morell, renowned Cuban-born photographer, is breaking new artistic ground with his eerily beautiful exploration of light through the camera obscura. His work has graced the pages of National Geographic, and has been called "one of the most original and enthralling bodies of work in contemporary photography." This special presentation is coordinated with a College of Arts and Architecture course that culminates in the construction of a camera obscura; which will be on display in various locations throughout the President's Fine Arts Series.
Quantum Mechanics Meets Picasso: Dr. Gavin Parkinson Reveals the Connections
March 25 at 7:00 p.m. | Gaines 101
Dr. Gavin Parkinson will share new research on the unexpected connections between quantum mechanics and pictorial fragmentation in the work of Pablo Picasso. By focusing on these major revolutions in physics and philosophy of science, he uncovers a set of overlapping institutional contexts that were crucial in the formation of the thought of Georges Bataille and also demonstrate an alternative 'postmodern' context for Picasso. Dr. Parkinson is Lecturer in European Modernism at The Courtauld Institute of Art in London. He writes about European art and has had a special interest in the connection between art and science in French modernism. He has also written on the reception of science fiction in France from the fifties, and on aspects of Marcel Duchamp's practice.
The Physics of Jazz: Presentation by Stephon Alexander
March 26 at 11 a.m. | Reynolds Recital Hall
Joining us from Dartmouth College, Stephon Alexander is known for asking the big questions. This evening will blend his expertise in cosmology, particle physics and quantum gravity with his interest in ...jazz. As he once told National Geographic, "Exploring a physics problem is like jazz improvisation-understanding the basic rules and themes lets you take off in spontaneous new directions. Music allows me to understand physics on a simpler, yet deeper level." We hope after this experience you will feel the same.
