Interview: ian Andrews
How has the engagement with physicists changed your practice, inspired/stimulated new ideas and ways of working?
“Over the last 3 years my fine art work has undergone a complete transformation following the opportunity to work with Prof Kostas Nikolopoulos from the University of Birmingham Particle physics group. I’ve also been lucky enough to work with Simon Pyatt, cleanroom coordinator/ technical support and his time and enthusiastic support has been very welcome.
The particle physics research and the historic artefacts made available through the Artist in residence scheme coordinated by Research and Cultural Collections has inspired a major reassessment of my approach. Working alongside rigorous scientific minds has seen a major shift in my practice. It has developed from assemblage-based, accumulative installations to an edited and refined drawing-based approach.
The long-term impact on myself is potentially profound, as it has enabled the production of high quality work with potential for further development that is receiving critical acclaim from contemporary curators, Arts Council funding and the potential for further development outside the region.”
How has this impacted your audiences and those who you reach?
“A new audience for my work has been developed comprising scientists, academics, and members of the public not regularly attending art events and visitors to Birmingham rather than a usual arts audience.
The Arts Council funded event at the library of Birmingham in 2019 entitled Collision Event drew an audience or almost 2500 comprised of many people not normally associated with a contemporary art exhibition. The case for cross disciplinary collaborations has been stated and while the exhibition did not become the focus of cross-disciplinary educational activity during it’s run as I’d hoped a strong foundation has been established with some exceptional feedback that can be built on.
A 2 week residency at Stryx artist led space and gallery in February 2020 drew an audience of 310, greater than their normal numbers and demographically different from their normal audience.”
How has working with a scientist changed your understanding of your career?
“An article by myself detailing the collaboration entitled The sketchbook and the Collider, has been published in The Blue Notebook, journal for artist books volume 13 number 2 edited by Sarah Bodman, Senior Research Fellow for artist books, Centre for fine print research, UWE. Educational workshops for secondary, primary and adult community groups have been developed. Prof Kostas Nikolopoulos and myself have co-authored an academic paper entitled Introducing particle physics concepts through visual art, published in the journal Physics Education by the Institute of physics and the Institute of physics has agreed to fund further development of these workshops. It will form part of a wider programme including further teachers professional practice sessions at the University of Birmingham. This has been planned due to the positive feedback of the previous workshop in an attempt to promote cross -disciplinary curriculum initiatives.
Articles of this sort and further planned talks will continue to make the case for my own collaborative work with scientists and for educational cross-disciplinary initiatives generally.”
Do you feel that your processes and outcomes can inspire/further the field of physics?
“Obviously it would be ideal if the approach and insights of the artist influenced and enriched the approach of the physicist! Whether this has or will happen with Prof Nikolopoulos and myself only time will tell. However as raised previously the idea of cross-disciplinary collaboration is particularly crucial at this point in time. Solutions to the various crises that face the planet will invariably come from non traditional thinking between disciplines rather than people working in isolation.
Again here particle physics points the way with their vast collaborative “trading zones” of the different disciplines required to design, build and experiment with the giant colliders.”