exploringscientificgesturesthroughcardboardstructures

Exploring Scientific Gestures through Cardboard Structures

In the realm of scientific exploration, innovation often stems from the unlikeliest of sources. One such avenue of inspiration has been found in the use of cardboard structures. This intriguing collaboration between scientists and humble cardboard has led to a fascinating world of discovery, demonstrating the boundless ingenuity of the human mind.

At first glance, cardboard might seem unassuming and perhaps even inconsequential in the grand scheme of scientific progress. Yet, when coupled with creative minds, it transforms into a medium of exploration that transcends its basic form. I have embarked with scientists on a creative journey, designing intricate cardboard structures that mirror complex scientific phenomena. These structures serve as tangible, visual representations of abstract concepts, enabling researchers to communicate intricate ideas in a universally understandable manner. In the making of cardboard structures we set out to go beyond mere visual representation it extended into the realm of hands-on experimentation. Learning through observing and touching.

Whilst observing the work undertaken in the laboratory I created a specific body of work. I began by closely observing the scientists explaining their processes, drawing inspiration from the intricacies of human hand movements undertaken by demonstrators in the role of science communication. This tangible interaction with cardboard brought forth an intuitive understanding of scientific concepts that might otherwise remain confined to complex equations and theories. The cardboard structures I created were more than static models; they became dynamic representations of articulation. We introduced basic concepts of bio mechanics, considering the range of motion, and joint limitations. Geometry played a pivotal role in this endeavor. Crafting shapes that mirrored hand gestures, we engaged with angular measurements, spatial relationships, and symmetry. By manipulating these cardboard shapes, we illustrated geometric transformations, connecting the abstract world of mathematics to tangible creations.

The cardboard structures were often painted or marked to visually convey the relevant elements of the scientific concept. Color-coded sections, labels, and symbols aid in highlighting crucial features and facilitate better understanding. The visual cues enhanced the engagement of learners and made the abstract ideas more accessible. Interactive Learning is key. One of the key advantages of this method is its interactive nature. The cardboard structures act as hands-on teaching tools, encouraging participants to manipulate the structures themselves. By physically engaging with the structures, learners gain a deeper comprehension of the scientific concept, as the connection between the hand movements and the underlying principles becomes more understandable. As with any creative endeavor, refinement is an ongoing process. By sharing the work I gathered feedback from participants and peers, seeking ways to improve the clarity and effectiveness of the cardboard structures. This iterative approach ensures that the final product is not only scientifically accurate but also optimally engaging.

The experiment also delved into the realm of materials science. Selecting the right cardboard thickness and flexibility alongside the materials used to create the joints. This allowed us to understand how structural integrity and flexibility are essential for proper movement. This practical application of materials science deepened our appreciation for the balance between strength and flexibility in biological structures. We explored the principles of feedback and control systems. By introducing simple mechanisms to alter the cardboard structures motion, we tackled the intricacies of closed-loop control systems, mirroring the body's ability to adjust movements based on sensory feedback. We were able to feel scientific concepts.

The combination of scientific curiosity and cardboard ingenuity has given rise to a world of exploration that transcends the boundaries of traditional methodologies. Using cardboard structures, we unveiled the hidden and revealed the elegance of complex theories with simple gestures. These tangible representations foster a deeper understanding of intricate scientific concepts, engaging scientists, researchers, and students. Cardboard can be used to simulate and study phenomena that are otherwise inaccessible due to scale, danger, or complexity. Cardboard offers a safe, cheap, and interactive platform for scientists to test hypotheses, refine theories, and educate aspiring minds. As we continue to push the boundaries of knowledge, it’s important not to forget that even the most unassuming materials can serve as powerful catalysts for discovery.

bookartbookartabookaboutbookart

I have a piece of writing in the excellent publication that is the Artist's Book YearBook. unfoldingthinking - Making Book Art with Scientists, is a short piece where I reflect on my recent artist’s residency at the Centre for Doctoral Training in Nanoscience and Technology at Cambridge University, UK. The publication as a whole is excellent - intellegent and incisive texts alongside important information about whats going on in the book art world - pre order here - http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/publications/artists-book-yearbook.html I'm particulary looking forward to reading Egidija Čiricaitė piece which considers In the Space of Time as she is an alumni of the Book arts Course at Camberwell. Meanwhile a weekend of films - The Box - oddly slow low-fi film with a random alien inspired sci-fi moral dilemma at its heart. Their Finest - jolly japes from Bill Nighy and Brits crew. The Dinner - exciting writing exploring what would you give away to do the right thing. Colossal https://solarmoviez.to/movie/colossal-20521/790788-6/watching.html is an intensely dark film about control and power.

unfoldingthethinkingsofar

The film is an introduction to some of the work I have been involved in at NanoDTC.

Within a very short period of encountering NanoTechDTC one is quickly divested of the notion that science is a fixed rigid occupation, I have found that within the world of nanotechnology thinking is fast and fluid, creative connections are made which always lead to an interesting conversation. It was this interdisciplinary, inclusive, outward thinking approach that attracted me to working within the Maxwell, that and the wonderful open seating spaces that provide creative nodal points and the futuristic coffee machine that fuels them.

In the initial phase of the residency I've been assimilating the wide range of processes and activities first year students engage with. This was almost a full-time job, the progress of which can be observed through a dedicated blog which occasionally drifts into hyperbole as I engage with concepts beyond my world but that very much underpin it.

I have become preoccupied by a number of issues. Whilst attending a practical demonstration I can remember slightly drifting in my mind as yet another truly extraordinary piece of information was imparted but which I was unable to fully comprehend. In an attempt to grasp an understanding I started to watch the hands of the demonstrator, there was an urgency as the demonstrator used every facility they had to communicate. I have been creating films which explore how scientific concepts and lab processes are communicated through subconscious hand gestures whilst in the lab. I developed a number of structures that mimicked or illustrated the movements made by the hand, these were then given to the facilitator to recreate the movements. This was subsequently filmed and juxtaposed with the objects or their initial movements. This small observation and subsequent body of work has instigated conversation and debate and raised consciousness amongst scientists about how we communicate.

The question of what science looks like is a strand of my research, the machines including the electron microscope and AFM in combination with the imaging software connected to them create a science aesthetic which exudes trust. Working with software more familiar to the art world I have developed a number of images and films that mine this aesthetic creating a dialogue around what information looks like.

I have encountered a number of machines that map surfaces but to enable this they are calibrated to 'fire' matter at surfaces they are investigating, the evidence of this activity is mapped, the space between surface and probe providing answers. I am currently following a line of enquiry that looks at this, making physical something that cannot be seen by casting the negative space of the folding structures that explored the hand gestures, fixing a moment in time. if you would like to read/see more https://unfoldingthinking.blogspot.co.uk/

itsallaboutthefuture

at the moment my work/life is all about the residency within NanoDTC at The Maxwell Centre in Cambridge https://unfoldingthinking.blogspot.co.uk/ but I am speaking at Make:Shift in Manchester on Friday so initially I planned and indeed tried to cram 30 years of experience into 10 minutes. This was of course an insane idea so am now, after much reflection, going to talk about how ideas inform process which in turn becomes a methodology for research. I'm going to lean heavily on the past two projects - The Robotics at Kings and Nano in Cambridge as well as bookness!! meanwhile some images from unfolding thinking   

foldedtime

    

in around 1989ish I worked with the poet Gary Boswell 
http://www.poetrysoc.com/content/archives/places/recycle/ in an Assessment Centre for young offenders in Lincolnshire creating words and/in books - I learnt so much in that residency - in the car on our journey to the facility we talked about many things - one being that in the very far future there would be a layer of material within the earth created from plastic very much akin to how coal was created - we were just thinking about this within the context of creative writing not really from an ecological standpoint - this idea appears to be all the rage as a topic - generation anthropocene is now on the agenda. this is a stunning read - http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/01/generation-anthropocene-altered-planet-for-ever - truly apocalyptical doom ridden - a must

two extraordinary films - both exploring the structure of film making itself Victoria - a 2 hour single take tour de force of planning http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/film/2016/03/can-film-work-single-unbroken-shot-victoria-shows-it-can and Mr Nobody - a fractured multiple narrative love story http://www.magpictures.com/mrnobody/ both are quite wonderful in their own way.

I am 'sort of' in this show http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/events/maxwell/

- well not really - more of a sideline of entertainment to the wonderful Gustav
Metzer, Fischli/Weiss and Hito Steyerl. I have on display some of the vast archive of objects along with one of the films I made as part of the Nano^Art project . 

ayarnwithinandbetween

well another day at the castle museum in Norwich in the build your own exhibition - this time it was knit-natter-publish - a really lovely session - the conversation flowed whilst fingers moved - subjects included feminism, the position of 'women's work', education, undervalued activity, tradition, learning, The prison service, Norfolk demographics, the value of small-talk and well-being through textiles. the text is a work in progress and the session was more of a pilot testing ground as to how we could explore the connections in the future. there was talk of doing something in the Forum.

its my first time

but I have always been here

there

in the moment - a memory of the muscle

my mother

my gran my nan my grandmother

lineage

a line

a conversation between

a yarn

within and between

fingers

wound up

women's small talk

then onto Cambridge for a follow-up session as part of the Nano project including a tour of The Maxwell Building - stunning- slightly envious of its thoughtful design - spaces which are dynamic and yet leave freedom for the individual to really reflect/think - meeting casually is where the real work and creativity happens. The amount of communal space is extraordinary - its almost as if it was designed with discussion and collaboration in mind - the science world does seem to of taken the best of what we used to do - buying sofas to sit - they are on the ball with this issue - okay - the most bizarre disconnected random eclectic surreal in the real Surrealist sense of juxtaposition and did I mention bizarre film ever - The Holy Mountain - unsure how I missed this gem but it really is fantastical - the tiny hand-crocheted capes for the 'battling lizards' is the lease odd moment in the whole thing! drugs are not necessary. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071615/ finally - tickets for Star Wars booked - tick - the experience anticipated - tick - most excellent

anotherdaybehindinagoodway

another day at the castle in Norwich - I'm really enjoying being a part of the build your own exhibition. being in the space before and after the museum opens is like entering another world - like you've been given the keys to a parallel world. I presented the work I'd undertaken with Cambridge University Nano technology department which was liberating in that I had previously only shown it to a knowing audience so its presentation to the general public initiated new strands of research through wonderful conversations. I also created a number of finished segments of films that I had to started work on during the Summer. These explore the role of light, of seeing, scale, pattern and shadow. Whilst playing with the range of pre-prepared materials that I had lazer cut with Penrose tessellations and combining them with an app on the iphone I made a discovery that led to a site specific digital work that I am really pleased with.

meanwhile my final session with year 3 students at NUA utilised the glorious oblique strategies cards by the brain that is eno - one of the best sessions this year https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies  - - they were a great filter to explore work - excellent. two film recommendations -  the wonderful and quite beautiful Carol, it's such a still film with most of the acting taking place behind the eyes and then there's the use of textiles, colour and pattern which are gorgeous and symbolically meaningful. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2402927/?ref_=nv_sr_1 and then if you think you're having trouble getting stuff done with the odd few stumbling blocks as well as being very very funny The Martian is the Don of problem solving movies - everything is possible and it will be okay. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/

questionsquestionsquestionsquestionsquestionsandsomeanswers

a great day of presentations at the Nano event for the Cambridge festival of imagination. our team decided to have questions within the presentation which led to us reading out a set of questions - it went very well and the questions led to more questions which was the point of the whole issue for me. enabling a rethinking of my practice. here's a link to the presentation - http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/what-if-its-true-after-all?related=1 and here's the script.

1             When discussing nano does understanding falter because it's smaller than I can represent with my own body?

1 - Does having to conceive of something as an idea in my mind limit my understanding of it?

2 - Do we need to train our brains to become better at discussing and understanding things that we can’t see?

3 - are really small things just very frightening?

2             what is the purpose of the experiment?

1 - Do we create knowledge or is it all out there waiting to be discovered?

2 - Does the concept of a failed experiment actually exist?  How can I use this idea with the students I teach?

3 - Is there is such a thing as a stupid experiment where no knowledge is created?

3             How are artists and scientists bound by givens in their perception of the world?

1 - Are scientists trying to work with physical things that exist but can't be seen and artist's trying to make physical things based on concepts that can't be seen?

2 - On the whole, do givens help or hinder progress in science?

3 - Is it true to say givens are more common place in science than in art?

4             what is the relationship between perception and belief?

1 - To build a foundation to work on do scientists have to believe in the existence of phenomena they cannot see to develop a practice? what is the role of belief?

2 - What is the role of perception?

3 - If there is strong evidence for a phenomena can it still be considered ‘beliefs’?

5             What is the role of intention?

1 - What is the role of trust in the creative process?

2 - Can chance encounters occur in both cases?

3 - Can science or art be done without the intention to do so? Does this make them different?

6             can babies do science?

1 - can one just start doing science without knowledge?

2 - can one just start doing art without knowledge?

3 - what is the role of post rational thought within progress?

7             Is there a personal language of science?

1 - art is concerned with creating an individual, personal language  - does science need to have a shared language to progress? - or is it all a universal language?

2 - Mathematics is often described as the language of the universe, how does this differ to a personal language in science?

3 - when we share words do we really understand each other?

8             Do we have a certain perception convention within particular fields?

1 - Coming into contact with the language of science and thinking has introduced new phrases to my own practice and enabled me to rethink ones I thought I understood - how will I use this?

2 - to what extent does this shared language within fields help or hinder progress?

3 - Does all the science within a particular field have the same language?

9             what makes an outcome an outcome?

1 - How do we perceive an outcome?

2 - when do we know when to stop?

3 - is reflective thinking just post rational cover up?

10           how can something that is so wrong be so right?

1 - what is the importance of closed minds?

2 - Is it really true that if you don't know how it works it's not science?

3 - What has bad science got to teach good art?

11           Does science need to start with the knowledge of many?

1 - where does art begin and science end?

2 - does 'the community' endorse which knowledge is valued?

3 - Can new science or art be achieved without the knowledge of many? 

12           There is a wider audience for the outcomes of what can be made from science but do scientists have an audience other than themselves to enable them to think and deduct?

1 - is science too closed to be understood by the general public?

2 - Are we just selfish beings who want to feel like we have a meaning or purpose?

3 - is art too easy to dismiss? is art too closed to be understood by the general public?

13           Are there parallels between the craft skills of art and those of science?

1– Does the knowledge of how to do things - the skill and craft of making enable scientists to make?  2 - Can art be created without the acquisition of skills?

3 - is there a craft to thinking?

14           How do the clothes we work in support thinking?

1 - can ritual and uniform create a heightened awareness of one's activity?

2 - does uniform constrict creativity and result in increased conformity to established ideas?

3 - How do the spaces we work in support thinking?

15           Everything we see may not be there or at least not as we think it is - where is our starting point?

1 - Bottom-up or top-down? When is either more appropriate and how do we know?

2 - where do we go for the answers?

3 - how do the tools we use to see alter our perspective on what we see?

16           Is there a shelf-life on what is true?

1 - How do we work with truths?

2 - truth is an expensive word, can we use it with any certainty

3 - how do we know?

17           What is the role of ‘external forces’ on creativity?

1 –Does the engagement of art and science with business support or mold what the work becomes and where it goes.

2 - Does this then start to define what is researched or made and eventually defines what art or science is?

3 - has the learning outcome destroyed creativity in education?

18           What makes something meaningful?

1 - Is art a way of making sense of the world?  

2 - Is science a way of making sense of the world?

3 - are we all just making tools for thinking?

19           What should I work on next?

1 - How do I know what to do next? How do I know what is right?

2- Is the process of deciding what to do next on the whole more regimented in science than in art?

3 - Does it all depend on what everyone else is doing?

20           This needs a question here

the evening was about the intense experience of watching FK Alexander: NO WHERE // NOW HERE' 90 minutes exploring excess, loss, and change - brutally forceful. Teaching this week at NUA has seen the briefing of body - a project - we will see what happens.  http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/briefing-ba3a-project-4-body Already looking forward to Deborah Pearson at battersea arts centre https://www.bac.org.uk/content/39774/whats_on/whats_on/shows/time_pieces_like_you_were_before before going on to spill - there's also a list of visual art that needs to be seen - starting with the Curve at the Barbican.

ideasofbondedopposites

The bonding experiments continue - there are so many possibilities - here I'm working with a felted material and foils - the final fabric has opposites at its core cold/warm, dense/light, anarchy/order. The cape is coming along with a fashion shoot around the corner. meanwhile some films this week - Superbob - what if a superhero lived in Peckham and just wanted  to meet someone because he was a bit lonely? a great premise and funny in a melancholic way - I loved the people of Peckham defending him - "he's doing something important and its none of your concern". 71 - a slice of bloody, brutal divided Ireland - excellent acting but not for the squeamish. Suffragette - well I felt a little like asking where is Dick Van Dyke? it alludes to many issues but....but I get it that it's an important film but it only just makers it because of the narrative arc Carey Mulligan brings to the idea of loneliness. A highlight has to be Dope - it's a coming of age film with many many twists that take you to exciting places - the 'speech' given by the main character about not fitting in was wondrous. And then there is the great music! Our teams proposed presentation to be given at the festival of ideas this Saturday is coming along - there are some incisive questions happening which we hope will spark others. http://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/events/nanoart-perceiving-smallest-scales

nothingtodowithme

working on a range of laser cut textile pieces - these are one of the strands of work that have become outcomes whilst working on the nano technology project in Cambridge. meanwhile experiencing something change around you can be a very raw experience - it feels as if there are stages of grief to move through - the Kübler-Ross model lays it out as denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It's been insightful to watch the overwhelming series The Newsroom. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1870479/ although the program has its problems it presents the experience of change and the how the various characters deal with it - watching Sam Winston playing Charlie Skinner move through the deconstruction of what news is or could/should be was informing but painful - it was a shame he had to die but then maybe that just has to happen. 

rethinkbeforeitgoes

the films are growing as I work with the software! - the sound nods towards sci-fi and dislocation meanwhile before they are gone a chance to think about the deep rooted value of art schools in the culture of our society.... if you have a moment (2 hours) I recommend that you to take time to listen to Jeremy Deller on 6 music talking knowledgeably about the relationships between art and music - listen on or near a computer so you can follow up all the links from the thoughtful and intelligent talk as you go along  - (maybe leave 4 hours)!  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0675mld

obsessiveeverything

I'm sure that enjoying Danger 5 is incredibly dubious but it really is quite wonderfully bizarre -  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1807165/ check out the clips on YouTube or binge on Netflix for a truly knowing experience and finally the deeply disturbing and superbly paranoid mr robot is a must for all conspiracy theorists. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4158110/  
meanwhile working on sound for the videos - picking up on some previous work - sound enables rethinking the visuals - bringing a mechanical 'something' to the work that I feel will be part of possible futures - some links to videos with the sound attached.....

https://youtu.be/ZTlybK_ghns

http://youtu.be/Kv7lQjHzAFw

https://youtu.be/ioQsgZ0F-rA

filmsmakingandwatchingthem

working on a number of films for the nano project - some short tests exploring shadows, layers and reflections that are created by letting the wind move the lazer cut fabric in what sun we have had. 
meanwhile the good weather (!) has meant a rash of film watching - the Falling - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3294200/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 an otherworldly tale but unsure about the acting. Avengers Age of Ultron - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2395427/ Robert Downey has all the best lines and you have to wait for the extraordinary balletic slow motion defence of the 'key' sequence but leave your brains at the door. Slow West - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3205376/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 a beautifully sad story, the stillness is mesmerising as is Fassbender.   

movingnanomoving

working on a series of new moving images - the nano project is turning into a film project at the moment - both from the creation of gifs in Photoshop and also animation through sketch-up.

thecraftskillsofscience

more moving surfaces for the nano project - thinking about movement and scale - also some more 'draft ideas' around art science differences - all up for discussion - babies don't do science - can one just start doing science without knowledge? art starts with the individual - science informed by lots of others. business and commerce pushes from the end - companies and galleries support what the work becomes and where it goes - this then starts to define what is researched or made and eventually defines the research. the idea of truth - looking for answers - that there is an answer or answers out there - making art as a way of making sense of the world - people use science to do - to eventually enable them to do things - the idea of skill and craft - knowledge of how to do things, making - the craft skills of art and science have parallels - separate from the idea of thinking - this enables them to make although art can exist without this can science? -  there is a wider audience for the outcomes of what can be made from science but do scientists have an audience other than themselves when making? - to enable them to think and deduct? - language - art is concerned with creating an individual, personal language  - does science have the opportunity for a personal language - or is it all a universal language? is all the science within a particular field the same? art starts with knowledge which informs thinking and looking which leads to making - science starts with the knowledge of many which informs thinking which leads to making which creates knowledge to be used in some way

movingmachines

initial moving images from the Nano project - some of the films created within the Google sketchbook software and others developed by a more circuitous route via screen shots, Photoshop into gifs

patterngenerating

after setting up a framework in the studio to enable pattern making through layering - I've been working on creating a series of images that have their starting point in the labs - thinking about the idea of order and disorder - the image of science - what it looks like - starting with tessellation and just the idea of looking - creating images that require looking! a kind of 'what is that?' - I've started to take out all colour and working with grey images although there was a moment of refracted light in some of the imagery and so this is an aspect I'm keeping for the moment and possibly working with, although there is an element of Christmas decoration about it that's a little worrying.

I've been developing images that are turned into gifs - next they could be used as surfaces on shapes animated through folding. The structures need to be virtual to explore the 2D/3D real/digital issues.

theritualofwork

 

what a most excellent day at Cavendish Lab in Cambridge -  everybody was so generous with their time and dedicated to sharing their experience - totally engaged in the process of knowledge exchange. it was a very full day of experiencing and challenging spaces within which to consider many new activities. Although invisible there is an obvious flow diagram of decision making within each specific activity and the process as a whole.  This is made apparent by the seriousness of the approach to the activity. self assembly is I now know a key component to what I do or at least how I think - but maybe not in a straightforward 'science ' way - I am interested in creating objects with multiple possible outcomes or systematic structures or non-linear narratives for others to work with or within or 'play' with. That there is no right or wrong way is very important to me but just components to enable. Thinking tools. Tools for thinking. Obviously one is struck by the ritual of work - the oppressive otherness of the clean room brings with it a heightened awareness of one's activity, can the wearing of a garment alter ones perception of the activity that is been undertaken? This could be something to explore with my students - art uniforms, creative capes! The pace of working is also something to consider - I was very taken by the methodical process of evidencing activity; cleaning, counting, arranging, monitoring, calculating, noting. Even the act of looking takes time and energy. The day's activity sparked many thoughts about art/science parallels and often the actual activity was the same, although often at a smaller scale. From the spin painting promoted by Damien Hurst, fixing and photography 'developing' work, the many types of printmaking, the resists and opposites, the silkscreen with its mesh and layers, etching working with positive and negative 2D spaces. So far this whole process has given me a new way of thinking and therefore supported my writing about my creativity. Ideas have been sparked while searching for parallels or taking my world into the world of science and testing out common knowledge, for example thinking about Duchamp and Duchampian thinking - becoming art, and the world of topography, definitions and categories - it is art if an artist says so - can intention define activity? Everything comes under the umbrella of science but could the same activity be redefined by what you are trying to do, or actually focusing on? - be it physics, chemistry, engineering or is it a combination of some or all or is it at a certain level all physics? What is the purpose of the/an experiment? the concept of the experiment - that even though something hasn't worked knowledge is gained and so it is useful - so does the concept of a failed experiment actually exist as knowledge always occurs (if you look for it). Can this be used with students or actively in my studio? Coming into contact with science language and thinking has introduced new phrases or enabled me to rethink ones I thought I understood - the concept of structural colour - weak interaction forces shape - the basis for self assembly - materials form wrinkles to relieve stress - release and stick - crease and stress - graphene origami - self folded closed form structures - at the fold properties are more reactive - folding along preferred directions - the use of paper grain - self folding

whatdoessciencelooklike

What does science look like? - I was fascinated by the look of nanotechnology - so initial ideas for the nano project have focused on image. I thought that it would be interesting to create images that in some way explore the image of connections, networks.

We have been set a series of questions as part of the project - I intend to answer them after each meeting - maybe the answers will evolve - maybe not. Question 1 The nanoscale often requires individuals to try to make sense of physical structures that are too small to see or touch. Are there differences in the way artists and scientists perceive or think of something they can't see?

It seems that the scientists I met were open to not knowing but they have to believe in some way of the existence of things/objects/phenomena they cannot see otherwise they cannot go on - there is no 'truth' or foundation to their work - now it appears that this foundation can be just an idea of a foundation but it does have to be there and not not there. I keep returning to the idea that everything we see may not be there or at least not as we think it is. Meanwhile I think my relationship to this question might be about aesthetics - a sort of inherent truth (beauty) that is a concept held within the self (when something is 'just right' - when it's 'finished') a form of balance. I run a workshop with students around the idea of finishedness where they create an equation that can be used to make a piece of work - an obviously impossible and wrongheaded idea but it does get students thinking about making work, process, audience engagement, display. Possibly scientists are trying to perceive things that actually exist but can't be seen and I as an artist am trying to conceive ideas that don't exist - the work is in some way an illustration of that balance/idea. I don't know I feel that I may already be uncomfortable with generic absolutes.