Designs for Life : Scientific art or artistic science?

Artists and scientists are often thought to be poles apart but a new exhibition at DCA highlighting a major collaboration between the two looks set to dispel more than a few myths.

Designs for Life, at the Visual Research Centre within DCA, showcases almost two years of work by artist Paul Liam Harrison and 11 scientists within the College of Life Sciences.

Funded by the Wellcome Trust and supported by the University and Dundee City Council the display features an array of fascinating artworks based on the scientists individual focus of research and laboratory data.

"We've been exploring the process of visualisation of lab data relating to cell and gene research." explained Paul, a PhD researcher and artist at the VRC. "The scientists have been working with me at the VRC publishing facility, initially bringing along lab books, photographs, disc images of microscopic data and any material that represents the work they are doing. Our general intention has been to develop new visual representations of this data through the medium of screenprint."

The results of the collaborations are stunning. Finished artworks include pieces created from cancer cells, embryonic stem cells, electron micrographs of human skin and time lapse movies of nuclear proteins.

Some are influenced by popular culture with one piece presented in the format of a comic strip, another a tabloid front page. Some works are abstractions almost beyond recognition of their origin whilst others are literal re-representations of data in an alternative format.

"On one level it's a way of making science more accessible," said Paul, who as artist in residence with the Human Genome Organisation since 2001, has many years experience of combining art with cutting edge science. "Hopefully the works will provide 'a way in' to the underlying information contained within each work."

"Process is a big part of this," he added. "It is about revealing and discussing how visual practices are applied in both a scientific and arts context, which, to be honest, can both seem a bit of a mystery if you're neither a scientist or an artist.

"The idea is to look at distinctions and similarities in process and how both disciplines can inform the other. There are so many similarities in terms of process, tools and materials. For example so much of the activity in both practices involves looking closely at shapes and forms, using lenses, photo based processes, digital software and print technologies."

Part of the project has involved an education programme with groups across the City including a local primary school where Paul witnessed the dismantling of typical artist and scientist stereotypes for himself.

"We were in Claypotts Primary school and we asked the children to place words under the title of artist and scientist," he recalled. "To start with they put creative with artists and words like observe and analyse with scientist and then a debate started about whether this was right and maybe observe should be with artist too and don't scientists create things?

"It was really exciting seeing children so young realising that both disciplines share so many things and coming to that realisation themselves."

The project, which has made it onto the front cover of Nature magazine, will continue after the exhibition closes with plans for a book. It has also resulted in a symposium on the convergence of arts practice and science, a new contemporary dance work and specially commissioned piece of music. It also looks certain to lead to further fascinating projects.

"It has grown beyond all our expectations," explained Paul. "Originally I had hoped that we would complete one piece of work with each of the scientists. Now we have developed a series of works in each collaboration which have all become independent catalysts for new dialogues, germinating so many ideas for other strands and potential future projects.

"For example Professor Angus Lamond has included an image of Henrietta Lacks in each of his works. She was an American woman who died in 1951 from a particularly 'aggressive' cancer. Cells from this tumour were cultured as a cell line now known as HeLa cells and continue to be grown and used widely in laboratories throughout the World.

"This cell line has contributed significantly to medical research but the proliferation and ultimately the physical mass of cultured cells is difficult to imagine. Through discussion and the making of these images we realised that there was an entire new project developing based upon this 'icon."

The Designs for Life Exhibition features art work by scientists Dr Alan Prescott, Professor Angus Lamond, Ian Newton, Professor Inke Nathke, Dr Judith Sleeman, Dr Laura Trinkle-Mulcahy, Dr Paul Andrews, Dr Mhairi Towler, Professor Kate Storey, Dr David Martin, Dr Arwen Wilcock.

It will run at the Visual Research Centre within Dundee Contemporary Arts until 29 February. The Visual Research Centre is open from Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 4.30pm.

For more information on the exhibition and Designs for Life project visit website at www.designsforlifeproject.co.uk.