The connection between science and art often has been explored, and science is an increasingly popular subject in art. This is particularly true in theatre, as evinced by the success of recent plays such as Copenhagen and Einstein's Dreams. However, sciencebased artistic productions and art-science collaborations largely have focused on physics and chemistry. With notable exceptions, such as the play Mnemonic, historical sciences such as geology and paleontology have not drawn much attention from artists other than book illustrators. This is unfortunate because there are many areas where the historical sciences are ideal for exploring the interplay between art and science. For example the past, the unifying theme of the historical sciences, is a profound, and profoundly interesting, part of the human experience. Yet the past-- the experience of time-- cannot be understood or fully appreciated in a purely scientific context; exploration of the human meaning of time almost requires the collaboration of artists and scientists.
The Stony Muse is a new cross-disciplinary program sponsored by the UW-Madison Geology Museum, aimed at exploring particular aspects of the relationship between geological science and the humanities, to commission original works of art that reflect this relationship, and to enhance the Geology Museum using it as a venue for special events and by incorporating art into its exhibits. The Series is emphatically not an effort to use art in the service of the geological science; our goal is to explore the connection between scientific and humanistic views of natural objects and processes at an authentic and fundamental level.
The first event of the series, "Imaging the Past: a Symposium", took place in October of 2004. The theme of this symposium was artistic representations of prehistoric life. Well-known artists and paleontologists were invited to the Geology Museum to discuss how their work influences and borrows from each other.
The second event in the series, on April 9th 2005, The Rock Concert, will be a display of the oldest-known terrestrial object, a Zircon from Australia, with a performance of original music commissioned in its honor.
We currently are planning several additional events for the upcoming 18 months. These include a talk by Michael Ware, a PhD chemist turned photographer who recently perfected the chrysotype, a photographic printing technique that renders images in gold. Doctor Ware will speak at 5:30 pm, March 31 2005 at the Elvehjem Museum of Art in Madison. This talk is a kickoff to "The Color of Iron" in November, 2005, an exhibit that explores the range of colors iron and iron-based pigments can achieve in a variety of artistic media. This exhibit will feature original prints by Mike Ware, ochre paintings by San Francisco artist Saundra McPherson, and others. We also are beginning work on our most ambitious project: commissioning and producing a geology-based work of theatre.
We are currently seeking donations and sponsors for the Rock concert, as well as future events. For an informal press kit, please email Joseph Skulan at jlskulan@geology.wisc.edu or call (608) 265-4274. Formal press kits will be available in January, 2005. If you or your organization would be interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to this series, please contact Joseph Skulan. There are many ways to contribute, including donating goods and services. Any help at all is appreciated, but most importantly, plan on attending, and tell your friends!