From ancient monuments, such as Roman arches and Indian and Mayan astronomical observatories, to modern day productions, such as The 2001 Space Odyssey and Copenhagen, the confluence of the arts and physics has resulted in the most incredible of human creations. The creations have led to a deeper understanding of nature, to giving the arts a new dimension, to friendly and enchanting ways of perceiving science in action, to tremendous technological progress…and to pure fun!
In this PHYS 498 ART, students gain exposure to the rich and fascinating ways in which science has joined hands with a broad spectrum of the arts, inclusive of the visual arts, theater, music, literature, and more, and to the marvelous creations that have emerged from this synergy. Going beyond just study and analysis, throughout the course of the Spring 2018 semester students became creators themselves. By using the knowledge gained in the course, forming teams having both arts and physics students and learning from one another they have designed and executed projects that result in mini-productions using their choice of media.
This website is a complement to the students’ final presentations and performances taking place on May 5th at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, as a part of Mayfest. We invite you to browse through the projects and start your own journey of discovery, be it quantum or cosmic, from there!