Making Art Out Of Science? – Review #2
Is science art? That is the question I asked myself as I made my first trip to The New York Hall of Science. I ventured into a large space filled with excited adolescents amused by things I had already learned in high school. However, as I ventured on, I found myself to be enamored by the illusions of what I was seeing in front of me. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? The Hall of Science allowed me to create extraordinary things out of ordinary objects.
Many would not consider science to be art. I didn’t either. However, during my trip to The Hall of Science, I was able to create images and sounds using science. Wandering through The Hall of Science, I noticed that there was art everywhere. There was art hanging on the walls. At first glance, they were just photos on the wall. They didn’t really grab me but as I looked closer, the pictures started to reveal a story. They were photos of nature and they depicted the beauty that existed in the world.
The best part of the trip was where I got to play around and create things. There was one exhibit called Recollections, where I created moving images of myself by blocking lights and creating my shadow. I was very mesmerized by this exhibit and fascinated by the images of my shadow that appeared on the screen. I spent a good five to ten minutes just playing around with my movements to see how it would appear on the screen. It was like playing around with a bigger version of the photo booth application but actually being there and seeing how it actually works.
Images weren’t the only things I created. I was also able to create music through the vibration and speed of water that was placed in a tube. By changing the frequency, I was able to change the speed of the vibration of the waves and create different sounds. I knew that sounds were created by vibrations but to actually see it happen is an art form in and of itself.
This was my first trip to The New York Hall of Science, but I definitely hope it is not my last. I could never get tired of creating things with my own hands and my own two eyes. It is something that everyone can appreciate no matter how old you are. Most of the occupants and The Hall of Science were youths on class trips, but anyone can appreciate a trip to The Hall of Science no matter what age you are. I found it a little awkward at first waiting for ten year olds to finish with an exhibit but after spending a valuable time learning and experimenting, the wait was worth it. You will definitely enjoy yourself at The Hall of Science and you might even learn something new too.