HYLE:
International Journal for Philosophy of
Chemistry
Special Issue: Aesthetics and Visualization
in Chemistry
by Tami I. Spector and Joachim Schummer,
Editors
HYLE Publications / University of Karlsruhe
Institute of Philosophy, Karlsruhe, Germany,
Vols. 9.1 and 9.2, 2003
243 pp., illus. b/w. $28.00 (per issue,
individuals)
Includes "Chemistry in Art: A Virtual
Exhibition" on CD-ROM
Online at: http://www.hyle.org/journal/issues.htm
ISSN: 1433-5158.
Reviewed by Rob Harle
Southern Cross University, Australia
recluse@lis.net.au
This issue of HYLE is an exciting
and bold attempt to not only explore the
relationship of chemistry to art, but
by extension, address the current contemporary
art/science liaison in some detail. I
recommend this special issue as essential
reading for Leonardo members and
subscribers because it raises important
questions regarding Leonardos
fundamental project and raison dêtre.
The journal is divided into two sections.
The first comprises six scholarly essays,
discussing Aesthetics and Visualization
in Chemistry. These are followed by
book reviews and reports. The second section
has four essays, a very interesting and
important dialogue (between a chemist
and arts critic/curator), and a CD-ROM
containing a Virtual Art exhibition, Chemistry
In Artthe art works being specifically
commissioned for this issue.
There are a number of fundamental questions
involved in the current art/science liaison
that as yet seem not to have been satisfactorily
addressed. The most important of these
are: (a) What is the difference between
science and technology? (b) At what level
do artistic works created from a liaison
with science become "art" rather
than simply process diagrams, models and
documentation of science processes? As
Spalding says, "I did not want to
see sculptures of giant beakers [re the
commissioned art]" (p. 234), (c)
In the liaison, artist and scientist must
be equal partnershow can this
possibly be achieved?
All the essays except one are written
by chemists or philosophers, the exception
is by James Elkins, who is an art theorist
and historian. There are no essays by
artists! Is this glaring omission because
chemistry and philosophers believe artists
make art and do not (or cannot) seriously
discuss theoretical issues? The editors/curators
asked the artists to provide, "a
brief text in their art projects"
(p. 228). This is not the same thing as
a theoretical discourse about the "intersections
of art and chemistry" by the artists.
The knowledge of what constitutes art
is rather limited in most of the essays.
Quite often reference is solely to drawing
or painting. Understandably perhaps, why
should a chemist know anymore about art
than an artist knows about chemistry?
This point highlights question (c) above,
in severe terms. These are the sorts of
issues this journal raises if we read
it closely from a critical perspective.
This is not to say the essays in HYLE
are of little value; on the contrary,
they are extremely interesting, as well
as scholarly and discuss "visualization"
in the past and contemporary, "world
of chemistry". However, we need more
if we are to develop a true symbiotic
relationship between science and art.
This symbiosis will mean crossing Wittgensteins
notion of each disciplines specific
"language game" barrier.
The final entry in the journal, Between
Chemistry and Art: A Dialogue, is
a very open discussion between one of
the editors Tami Spector and the art curator/critic
David Spalding. This discussion does
address some of the issues I raised above
and does not tend towards the insularism
of the earlier essays. Spector to her
credit indicates that she has learnt much
about art from her involvement in this
project. This provides a clue to possible
answers to some of the questions regarding
the liaison of art and science. That is,
both artists and scientists have to do
some serious learning about each others
practices, philosophies, and methodologies.
The art works on the CD-ROM Virtual Exhibitionwhich
includes images, installations, and sculpturesare
quite stunning, some strangely beautiful,
some created specifically from scientific
chemical processes and some commenting
upon chemistrys cultural and social
impact. I will not attempt to describe
these works. The colours and forms in
L.E. Lasts images, as an example,
cannot be adequately captured with words.
Readers will have to purchase the journal
and view the Virtual Exhibition themselvesthey
will not be disappointed.
Repeating my opening remarks, this is
an important issue of the HYLE journal
for all interested in the liaison between
art and science generally, and art and
chemistry specifically. I hope it will
spawn further heated debate in this exciting
and almost limitless enterprise.