The latest gallery installment in Watson Fine Arts’ Beard and Weil Galleries features the connection between science and art. Over 100 artists contributed to the showcase, which represents a variety of themes, from space to taxonomy. The gallery coordinator, Michelle L’Heareux, explained the impetus for displaying works of art concerned with nature and humanity.
“I have always been interested in the intersections between science and art, and I also wanted to acknowledge the new Mars Center for Science and Technology and the amazing work that is being done there. So, I decided to create a series of four exhibitions exploring connections between science and art. ‘The Order of the Universe’ is the second in the series, and it includes four artists whose work employs taxonomies and scientific classification systems in various ways. In all of the exhibitions, I have included work in a range of media, including sculpture, photography, printmaking, installation, video, painting, and more. My goal is to create exhibitions that appeal to students and faculty from across disciplines, to engage the community in conversations that relate to current events and the curriculum.”
With Michelle’s desire to appeal to people of different discipline, she is truly embodying the liberal arts spirit evident within the Wheaton curriculum. Michelle worked diligently trying to find artists that fit her ideals, stating, “To create the series, I researched more than 100 artists whose work explored science/art connections, and from that group, I started looking for connections between different artists, both visually and in the content of their work. It was a gradual sifting process that yielded four group exhibitions, each with four or five artists, centered around a different theme.”
Michelle’s dedication proves she understands the value of learning across various academic realms. This gallery is as much a reflection of Wheaton as it is of the artists’ work chosen to be in the exhibit. Students and faculty are encouraged to visit the gallery while this showcase is stationed there.