‘Spectrum’ Show Celebrates Link Between Art And Science

Grasping Synapses by Todd Siler. Courtesy/CU Art Museum, University of Colorado
 
UNM News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE — DaVinci knew it. Michaelangelo knew it. And the artists and scientists featured in the annual Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience show know it, too: art and science are closely related.
 
This year’s show, ‘Spectrum,’ will feature stunning artwork by artists inspired by nature and dazzling images by scientists studying nature at the smallest scales. “All the pieces are really quite beautiful,” says Bridget Wilson, PhD, who is organizing the event. “And we’ll have great exhibits for all ages, too.”
 
The show’s opening weekend features gallery viewing and public talks both evenings. Wilson is particularly excited about the “NanoDays” exhibit for school-age children and teens, which will run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 19.
 
Children and teens will be able to play a variety of science-oriented video games and try several hands-on experiments. This year, the show also has an essay contest for science teachers. The prize is a “GloFISH” tank that will go to the winner’s classroom. 
 
“We’re excited to see the creativity in bringing science into classrooms,” Wilson said. 
 
The artists in this year’s show include: Suzanne Anker, Adam Belt, Julia Buntaine, Eric Gardun᷉o, Michal Gavish, Brian Knep, Lee Montgomery, Charles Ross and Todd Siler. Many of these artists hold advanced degrees in scientific fields and apply scientific principles and technology in their cutting edge works of art. Their pieces will exhibit with microscopy images from scientists at the University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
 
And, for the first time, this year’s show will offer some of the local scientists’ work for sale. The colorful microscopy images will be selected by the show’s organizing team and will be shown during the gallery viewings. Proceeds from the sale of local scientific art will benefit charity.
 
“The free, public talks are always a popular feature of this show, since they focus on topics that are in the news,” Wilson said.
 
For example, Jennifer Gillette, PhD, will give a compelling talk on the promise of stem cells. Michelle Ozbun, PhD, will describe how UNM is at the forefront of studying how the common human papillomavirus (HPV) causes some types of cancer. And featured artist Todd Siler, PhD, will borrow the TED format for his entertaining presentation on ArtScience, a word he coined for the overlap of the two disciplines. Siler will explain how ArtScience can be used to face global
challenges.
 
Audience participation and questions are encouraged. “We want to engage people of all ages and at all levels of scientific knowledge — the full spectrum.” Wilson said.
 
About Bridget Wilson, PhD
 
Bridget Wilson, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Pathology at the UNM School of Medicine. She holds the Maralyn S. Budke Endowed Professorship in Cancer Cell Signaling and serves as Director of the New Mexico Center for Spatiotemporal Modeling of Cell Signaling at the UNM Health Sciences Center. Dr. Wilson received her PhD in Medical Sciences from University of New Mexico. A cell biologist with over 20 years’ experience, she studies signal transduction, intracellular trafficking and membrane biology.
 
Her laboratory specializes in innovative imaging approaches, including live cell, fluorescence-based assays and electron microscopy. Dr. Wilson has been a research program leader at UNM’s NCI-designated Cancer Center since 2005 and was elected an AAAS Fellow in 2012.
 
Jennifer Gillette, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the UNM School of Medicine and a member of the Translational Cancer Biology and Signaling Research Group at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.
 
Michelle Ozbun, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, both at the UNM School of Medicine. She is also a member of the Translational Cancer Biology and Signaling Research Group at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.
 
Todd Siler, PhD, is an American multimedia artist, author, educator, and inventor, equally well known for his art and for his work in creativity research. In 2011 he became the recipient of the Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts in recognition for his extraordinarily creative and innovative contributions to contemporary and visual arts, for stimulating creativity, inspiring innovation and uniting art and science to enrich the experience of creative learning.
 
About the Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience ‘Spectrum’ Show
 
The annual Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience show, ‘Spectrum,’ will take place Friday March 18 and Saturday, March 19. The show is hosted by the Peters Project | Gerald Peters Gallery at 1011 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. The show opens at 5 p.m. on Friday March 18. The “NanoDays” exhibit for children and teens opens at 11 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 19.
 
For the schedule of events and a full list of artists and public speakers, please visit here.
 
About the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center
 
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in a 400-mile radius. One of the premier cancer centers nationwide, the UNM CCC has 128 board-certified oncology physicians, forming New Mexico’s largest cancer care team. It treats about 60 percent of adults and virtually all the children in New Mexico diagnosed with cancer — more than 10,000 people— from every county in the state in more than 135,000 clinic visits each year.
 
Through its partnership with the New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance, an “exemplary national model for cancer health care delivery,” the UNM CCC offers access to more than 160 clinical trials to New Mexicans in every part of the state. Annual research funding of more than $72 million supports the UNM CCC’s 132 cancer scientists. Working with partners at Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, and New Mexico State University, they have developed new diagnostics and drugs for leukemia, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, liver and pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, and melanoma; garnered 33 new patents and 117 patents pending; and launched 13 new biotechnology companies since 2010. Learn more here.
 
Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience Art Show. Courtesy photo
 
Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience Art Show. Courtesy photo
 
Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience Art Show. Courtesy photo
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