Art meets science

Exhibition

Unique glass works representing the cutting edge of art and science have gone on display in an exhibition in Adelaide.

A Fine Line is a collaborative exhibition between the Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at the University of Adelaide and the artists at JamFactory's Glass Studio.

Incorporating video footage and examples of the works created by both artists and scientists, A Fine Line showcases the technique and process behind the making of both glass art and the glass that underpins new technologies.

The exhibition features works by glass artists Nick Mount, Danielle Rickaby and Janice Vitkovsky, and also shows new classes of optical fibres designed and manufactured by scientists at IPAS.

At IPAS, novel glasses shaped into new forms of optical fibres and sensors that are being used to create tools to help solve problems in areas such as defence, medical diagnostics, remote environmental monitoring, and food and wine production.

"In this exhibition, glass becomes the connective line between nature, science and art," said Margaret Hancock, Curator and Exhibitions Manager at the JamFactory. "Located at opposite ends of the city square, our organisations work at the cutting edge of glass design and manufacture."

The exhibition was opened in March by Professor Tanya Monro, IPAS Director and ARC Federation Fellow at the University of Adelaide, and SA Australian of the Year 2011.

"With glass, there is a very strong link between science and art," Professor Monro said. "While glass artists use traditional methods to create their works, there is a great deal of science behind the work they do; and in our scientific work, we are creating unique forms of glass fibres and patterns that in themselves have artistic merit."

Professor Monro said there had been a series of visits by artists and scientists at both the IPAS science laboratories and at the JamFactory glass studios.

"These visits have established strong interactions between the glass art and glass science communities and I hope that in time this will enrich the practices of both groups. I'm also particularly keen to see whether people can pick which works are from science and which are works of art," she said.

A Fine Line - Glass Meets Art Exhibition
JamFactory, 19 Morphett St, Adelaide
Open to the public until Sunday 8 May
www.jamfactory.com.au
www.adelaide.edu.au/ipas