The universe inside: a project of astronomy for professional artists

Stefano Sandrelli

INAF – National Institute for Astrophysics

Brera Astronomical Observatory, Milan, Italy

Founded in 1762 The most ancient scientific institution in Milan

WHERE

POE @ OAB is (was) a matter of research and culture

Education

Formal edu: Italian Olympiad of Astronomy coordination

daily multimedial lessons to students ageing 6-18

Hands-on edu: hunt for the black hole – a role playing workshop for students 17-18 yrs old

see Arosio et al. - CAP2007 proceedings

Informal edu: creative writing/drawing starting from scientific subjects for students 12-14 yrs old

see Romaniello et al. CAP2005 proceedings

Necessity of a multidisciplinary approach

both to Edu and Outreach activities

POE @ OAB is (was) a matter of research and culture

Outreach

Various science festivals: the Lord of the rings - a Live Role Playing game: somebody stole Saturn’s rings and the partecipants must rebuild them after having discovered the right ingredients.

see Cavallotti et al., CAP 2005 proceedings

Scientific Theatre: Light from the stars

see Giliberti et al., CAP2010

Public talks by astronomers in planetaries or in institutional locations

Necessity of a multidisciplinary approach

both to Edu and Outreach activities

Pala Expo600 mq at the very center of Rome

A collaboration of:

National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF)National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) Italian Space Agency (ASI)

150 000 persons in the period26 october 2009 – 14 february 2010

Brera Palace: 1571 - 1776 17761764

science representation (interpretation) of the world art

1°step (2007-2008): the Universe as a creation lab

To pave the way to a permanent dialogue among scientists and artists* in Brera

Note: a dialogue requests a common language and a sincere interest to get in touch with somebody;listen and talk!

Goal 1:

Goal 2: to stimulate an interest for the contemporary scientific vision of the universe among the artists

* Artists = artists and their students

2007-2008: The Universe as a creation lab

We did not want:

• to teach modern astronomy to the artists

• to show the artists what they should care of and tobe interested in

to show them the contemporary vision of some remarkable aspects of the universe and to talk about itwith them

We wished

The Sun and the stars

The Big Bang and the expanding universe

The Galaxy realm

Far away from our eyes

Postcards from the Solar System

The nextdoor Universe

30 teachers of the

Academy300 students

The farthest explosions in the universe

20 hours course of astronomy

2008-2009: labs and dialogues

The non-euclidean space and the spacetime The space and its representations The light

The mystery and the scientific investigations

dimensions constellations and astrology the evolution of the cosmic structure the emptiness and the zero

the energy in the cosmo the infinity the round angle the stars the solar system the moon

Themes of interest

2°step (2009-….): The Universe Inside

Organizers Brera Academy Brera Observatory

Partners

3 Shopkeepers Associations of:• Brera • Fiori Chiari Street• Madonnina Street

50 shops with no direct benefit (not for sale)

Sponsors

Alser viniEsselunga F.Lli FiasconaroSudalimentaIstituto Alberghiero “Vespucci”, Milano

Supporters

ONU/UNESCO/IAUINAFESAMIURMilano MunicipalityMilano ProvinciaLombardia Regione

An exhibition of modern art dedicated to the scientific vision of the cosmo

WHERE

www.universodentro.it

Logo attempts

Francesco Grassi

Small artificial Universe

Photocm 20 x 13

2009

Costabile

Maybe I’ll present the Moon to her.

Oil on canvascm 130 x 140

2008/2009

Joo Yeon Kim

Sunshine

Mosaiccm 50 x 50

2009

Antonella Di Donna

Sky chart VIII

Oil and chulk on paperCm 50 x 70

2008

Kim Sung Heun

Rubbish Universe

Installation. Acrylic on paper and rubbishPannello cm 150 x 250

particular

2009

However, it is interesting to note that the general public seems just as estranged from contemporary art as it does from science.

What do we learn? A minor decalogue of 7 points

1. Do not teach, dialogue! A dialogue is possible. But it’s tiring of course

2. Respect the mystery (“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science”, A. Einstein)

3. Show your burning heat of get an inner view (“idea” from the greek idein, to see)

4. Use also technical terms: their sounds can help the artist to grasp the global context and the overall meaning

5. Show your own visions based on science

6. Use also formulas, telling the artists about the visions they evokes

7. Appreciate the technical research of the artists

dust, crushed insects and other debris

ConstellationsJoan Fontcuberta