Mumbai: Suspended across a dazzling canvas of cosmic colours, an astronaut drifts alone in space, tethered to a fragile lifeline. On another canvas, a pink lotus is surrounded by chemical formulae and benzene rings. These striking works of art are part of an exhibition at Mumbai’s Nehru Centre. ‘Science Through Artists’ Eyes’—as the exhibition is called—straddles two seemingly disparate cultures, science and art.
“Art in all its forms has to do with beauty, and there is much inner beauty in science,” said astronomer and art enthusiast Ajit Kembhavi, who formally inaugurated the exhibition on 17 June. Kembhavi argued that it all comes down to communication, and that scientists, too, should tap into their inner artist.
“Scientists should use the vision and skill of artists in depicting their scientific work to make it more interesting to people,” he said.
The exhibition features 60 works by more than 30 artists, including vivid interpretations of microcellular organisms and striking photographs—one of which captures a luminous halo in the sky during a rare solar eclipse.
Freelance artist Parul Bhatnagar, 40, presented a lone human figure suspended in a cloud of stardust. Science has informed much of her recent work. Her paintings, she said, explore the refraction of light, stars, and the mysteries of the universe. An avid trekker, Parul spoke about the unique way she blends science and art through personal experiences.
“You see yourself growing in all directions, like the natural crystals that catch my eye during treks.”
The goal of this unique exhibition is to foster conversations and capture the wonder of science.
“The objectivity of science can prevent people from falling prey to the irrationality spread by occult sciences, superstitions and myths,” said Arvind Paranjpye, the director of the Nehru Planetarium and the driving force behind the exhibition.
When science reveals itself in art
Paranjpye was strolling through Nehru Centre’s art gallery when a photograph of waves crashing on Mumbai’s shores caught his eye—not just for its aesthetic appeal.
“I saw science in the picture—the interference of waves,” he said, referring to the phenomenon when two or more waves meet and the disturbances combine. The result is either a new wave being formed or they cancel each other. As it turned out, the photographer had captured a textbook illustration of physics—without even realising it.
The Nehru Centre’s art centre invited artists to participate in the event through social media and letters. Paranjpye and event coordinator Rohan Lahane were initially sceptical about the response they would get. But those fears quickly dissipated as word spread. A majority of the contributions came from women, said Paranjpye.
What excited him most was seeing the final work presented by the participants—artists, many of whom were otherwise not connected with science. The organisers set no specific theme, leaving much to the artist’s imagination.
“We were just looking for an expression of their practical experience, like the science about the ripples when a pebble is dropped on the surface of water,” said Lahane. The end goal is to nurture a spirit of enquiry across audiences.
For 66-year-old engineer Pramod Sahasrabuddhe, science, technology, and art follow a shared creative path. As a structural engineer, his artwork tends toward the abstract, drawing inspiration from concepts like fields, stresses, and bonds.
“The logic part is more [present] in science and technology, but [it’s] not absent in pure art,” he said. “My training in technology helped me create my own oil and watercolour paints.” His green-hued painting portrayed mathematician Euclid, while another depicted the philosopher Rene Descartes sitting in a room. His third piece featured none other than Albert Einstein.
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A universe of interpretations
A painting of a volcano glowing in fiery orange-red shares space with a starry blue-black sky and a glowing shoreline of receding waves. The works were contributions from an eighth- grade student.
Another work of art, titled ‘Mitosis,’ was scientist Sweena Joshi’s (39) interpretation of eukaryotic cell division through the lens of Madhubani—an Indian folk-art form she has long studied and admired. She drew a comparison between the symmetry found in viruses with that of flowers.
“At every level—from micro to macro—biological components and their concepts lend themselves beautifully to becoming art,” said Joshi, who runs a startup focused on developing PCR-based healthcare kits.
In many ways, the exhibition achieved what it set out to do—kickstarting conversations about the world we live in. One of the visitors, Geerija Koli (18) an engineering student with a passion for coding was drawn to a portrait of Abdul Kalam by artist Sonali Iyengar.
“An error in coding will prevent a program from running. I find this drawing detailed and flawless,” she said.
The exhibition at Nehru Centre’s Hall of Harmony will run until Monday, 23 June.
Chitra Anand is an intern who graduated from Batch 2, ThePrint School of Journalism.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)