Science + Art: The World up Close

Common, everyday things, from construction material to household items or even insects, look remarkably different up close. And the up close that a new art exhibition has in mind is mind-boggling.

Using a high-powered scanning electron microscope a scientist and a graphic designer combined forces to show the microworld in a new exhibit, called Science + Art: Bridging the Gap. By magnifying concrete, sandpaper, bugs and other familiar items in our environment 300,000 times, abstract images emerge, showing magnificent and naturally beautiful works of art.

Center for Applied Science and Engineering senior scientist Rishi Patel and designer Jeff Rawson created an 18-piece exhibit which is on display now through early August in Springfield, Missouri. Patel, a microscopy expert created the images, which start out as black and white. Then Rawson overlayed them with color, giving them an artistic flair and greater depth. He also mounted them on canvases to complete the aesthetic picture.

Patel says, “As part of our outreach program to the community this seemed to be a good way to show people a new perspective of ordinary objects that they would not have seen before.”

Rawson Told the Springfield News Leader, “In our work at JVIC, we’re committed to tying the arts and sciences together.” He says, “This is something I’ve always kind of played with in my spare time.”

But the project started as a simple way to add a few images to the JVIC website and grew into a community-wide exhibition, which opened last week.

Patel says, “The interactive nature of the exhibit where people had to guess what they thought the object was, I think made it a more enjoyable experience.”

And, judging by the opening night response, he says the duo will make more artsy science images using a scanning electron microscope. Now they just have to decide what to scan. Post your suggestions below.

Etched Stainless Steel under a Scanning Electron Microscope, all images courtesy of Jeff Rawson's Science + Art: Bridging the Gap

All images are also for sale, from $200-$500. For more information visit Springfield Arts Council.