This masterclass explores how art helps humans engage with scientific concepts beyond sensory perception, from atoms to black holes. It examines how these interactions can trigger cognitive shifts akin to the Overview Effect, reshaping philosophical views and daily life. Drawing on cognitive metaphor theory and conceptual blending, the session introduces an experimental approach to merging art and science.
Participants will also learn strategies for creating successful art-science residencies that foster collaboration between artists and scientists. The session includes a hands-on exploration of Instytut B61, an international art-science collective founded in 2009. Notable projects include Cosmic Underground, an immersive, European Commission-funded exhibition inside a traveling train, featuring over 40 artists and researchers across multiple countries.
Jan Świerkowski is a curator, cultural researcher, artist, and astronomer dedicated to bridging art and science through immersive, interdisciplinary projects. Holding an MA in astrophysics and a Ph.D. in cultural studies with a dissertation titled Translating the Invisible: Metaphors in Art and Science, he founded Instytut B61 in 2009. His notable projects include Cosmic Underground, inspired by the Theory of Relativity, and Collision, a performance that transformed a Polish train into an artistic exploration of the Large Hadron Collider.
His work has been showcased worldwide at EXPO 2020, Science Centre Singapore, and Sónar Barcelona, and has been described by Forbes as "euphoric and mind-bending." In 2017, he was recognized as Poland’s Science Popularizer of the Year and holds a U.S. patent for a multimodal art-science display. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with Nobel laureates, renowned artists, and leading scientists.
