Art that gathers data, science that makes meaning

The processes of science and art are more similar than they may seem. Both practitioners make careful observations, ask questions, do research, use specialized tools and equipment, replicate their studies, and work to interpret their results in context. Undergraduates in the course, “Scientific and Artistic Inquiry,” at The Evergreen State College designed research projects that blended freshwater ecology and Intaglio printmaking. Their projects included printed materials that gathered ecological data (emergent insect traps, Surber samplers, pin flags, etc.) and the scientific context of their art installations provided multiple meanings for the art, including the history and inclusivity of science.