Art and science come together in Wonderspaces

By Leonie O’Sullivan, September 27, 2023 —

It is a common misconception that art and science should not mix. Growing up, I always thought I had to fit inside one box or another—the lab coat or the rack. I was afraid that if I stuck to science, I would not have a creative outlet, and if I chose the arts, I might not get opportunities to unleash my curiosity. Wonderspaces has beautifully squashed these lies by allowing art and science to coexist symbiotically.

On March 6, the Telos Spark Science Center unveiled Wonderspaces, an exhibition that runs through October. Wonderspaces combine science and art to create an immersive and interactive experience for guests. This is Wonderspaces’ first flight at a science center, as well as its first international flight outside the United States. At Spark, you can experience nine amazing collaborations in art and science. The overarching goal of Wonderspaces is to introduce art to wider audiences – but it also succeeds in launching attendees on their own scientific journeys.

My personal favorite is Blooms by John Edmark. The mathematical sculptor brought “Flowers” to life by incorporating high-speed rotation, powerful lighting and precise design. It aroused curiosity and I was impressed by its design and aesthetics. It made me wonder with my eyes because I felt like I was giving in to a hallucination trying to figure out how it worked.

Earth’s environmental threats have inspired two works of art and science. These were the sweeper watch by Martin Bass and the thank you bags by Reed van Bronchot. Sweeper Clock is a 12-hour video of two people sweeping waste into the arms of the clock to capture time. The connection between time and the environment is important. How long can we keep adding more and more waste to our landfills? She also asked whether the workers had any breaks during recording. The Bags of Thanks exhibition relied heavily on the shock factor – aided by its sheer size – to get its clear message across to visitors.

On a Human Scale by Matthew Matthew captures the diversity of humanity. When you press down on one of the keys of the harpsichord – a keyboard instrument – you are immersed in an audio-visual experience as you hear and see someone singing the tune. New Yorkers’ vocals were recorded to bring their voices together to create this all-encompassing human instrument, where each note is unique to the individual recording.

Memo Akten body paint is based on an infrared sensor that captures heat emissions from your body. When you dance and move around, your movements become the paintbrush for an artistic display right before your eyes. I think this exhibition provided the greatest amount of enjoyment to visitors.

Don’t miss experiencing Wonderspaces before you leave Calgary next October. Spark is the only website in Canada featuring works by any of the artists behind the nine installations. This exhibition brilliantly opens science and art to wider communities. I hope that children and adults alike will wander through the exhibition and feel inspired to break down the barrier between art and science.