Ilanit Zada
Science and Technology in NYC
Professor Adams
10-20-13
What is the relationship between science and art? Let’s face it, it is nonexistent. These two areas are treated as completely different subjects that have nothing to do with one another. Well, at least that is what I thought until I read the two articles assigned. The article that really resonated with me and seemed to shed a light on this idea was the one entitled “Art as a Way of Knowing,” by Marina McDougall, Bronwyn Bevan, and Robert Semper. In this article, it is stated that “art enchants and invites participation” (6). That sentence tied everything together for me and provided me with insight to understand the message being conveyed.
A few weeks back we learned about the six strands of learning (in our seminar class). According to Surrounded by Science, the first, and in my opinion most important strand was sparking an interest and excitement. When trying to teach an individual something new, it is vital that the person finds the subject interesting to ensure their utmost attention. Many people enjoy coloring or drawing so by including that in the subject being taught, one has already caught their attention and these individuals will want to learn more about it. Furthermore, in the video watched in class, the students were planting in different plastic containers recycled on a day-to-day basis. In this project, the students combined both artistic as well as scientific aspects. They seemed to be genuinely interested in the different scientific aspects and the important things that went into having a flourishing plant. I believe that a lot of this interest was due to their enjoyment of the activity; not only was this an opportunity for them to learn new things in science, it was also an opportunity for them to do something they enjoy: coloring, drawing, and including other artistic aspects. After going through this thought process, I came to the realization that art is connected to science in piquing the interest of individuals and get people to participate. In many cases we can go so far as to say that without art, there would not be as many people interested in the sciences.
