Whenever I hear about the "art-science
divide", I think of our school education system where we are required to
choose one or the other. Many teenagers develop a thirst for science and art
and struggle to make a decision between the two. After asking our parents for advice and
discussing job prospects for both professions, we usually make the practical
choice, a career in science.
By the time we start our
university education, we are living a double life. During the day, we explore
current scientific topics. By night, we sit alone painting or indulging
ourselves in other artistic matters.
“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.” ― Vincent van Gogh
Most of this category of
students find the division between these two worlds to be intolerable since
they cannot dedicate themselves to a single passion. Eventually, they realize
that art and science have a common thread: both are fueled by creativity.
Whether writing a scientific paper based on the latest research topic or
filling a canvas with paint, both processes tell a story and require a creative
mind.
I have decided couple of years ago to merge the artistic and scientific realms, and I sought a way
forward. I made up my mind to open a major in Computer Graphics and
Animation at the university where I work as a lecturer. Luckily it was not hard for me to sell my idea to the
administration. My tool was to show them that opening new “fancy” majors and
not just the traditionally known ones could do well in attracting new students.
Current job markets require people with hybrid degrees,
people who are equally good in science and the arts.
Popular stereotypes frequently
represent that scientists and artists are two opposites: one cannot be both
scientist and artist. This is totally wrong and has been disproved many times
in history and in our daily lives. The most famous example is probably Leonardo
Da Vinci, a scientist and a world-famous artist at the same time. The cave
painter as well as contemporary artists have, to some degree, also been
scientists. In fact, until the last few hundred years, art and science were
always closely allied.
The secret to a successful career in
such interdisciplinary studies is finding like-minded people. Hybrid educational programs like Computer Graphics & Animation could yield a new generation of visually literate scientists, and
could provide us with graduates with dual capabilities, people who are
fulfilled and not frustrated. This is truly the modern “Renaissance” person.
“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious - the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” ― Albert Einstein
[ Image by Karim Abou Samra ]
