Issue 45

20 May - 2 June 1997

But is it art?

Questions were plentiful in the Consort Gallery last week when the College's visiting artist and former scientist Paul Goodfellow wrestled with the differences between art and science in his brief exhibition entitled 'Why I think I'm not a scientist'.

Three television screens lined up inside a small marquee in the Gallery (see picture to the left) posed questions including 'what is the greatest scientific achievement' and 'please tell me something about the role of art in society', to both art and science students, provoking a variety of reactions.

"I'm dubious about the role of science. It seems to have been placed in a vacuum," said one artist when asked about the role of science in society. "Not being a scientist I don't look for absolutes," he commented enigmatically. "I don't try and make two and two make four."

Paul Goodfellow, who made the unusual decision to become an artist while carrying out Geographical Information Systems research for his PhD, gave a thought-provoking talk explaining his decision, an interesting task in front of an Imperial audience.

He is keen for scientists to acknowledge that they make subjective and even aesthetic decisions when they carry out research. It is good science, he argues, rather than bad science to take account of the irrational.

Now approaching the end of his first year here, Paul officially spends two days a week at the College. However, he finds himself limited by the fact that he has no space of his own in which to work, a situation that will surely have to change if Imperial is to continue to fully benefit from his inventive creations.