Esther Mallouh (photo credit Wendy Leyden)

Richard Bright: Can we begin by you saying something about your background?

Esther Mallouh: My first exhibition, Impressions of Turkey, was showcased at the Alay Kosku, Topkapi palace – Istanbul, Turkey. Since then, I have worked with/for non-profit art organizations, the philanthropic sector, and as an art consultant-curator. I curate themed art exhibitions with a focus on artistic/scientific collaborations.

RB: Have there been any particular influences to your ideas and working practice?

EM: The nuances and spirit of the many cultures that I experience shapes my creative scope.

I grew up in Lebanon, in a town 1968ft above sea level, where I saw almost every day the sun and the moon rise from the East, over the mountains, and set in the West, over the Mediterranean horizon. Such views and the appearance of the stars at night triggered my imagination and curiosity in science.

I recognized that my first exposure to an art piece was opening the window to my future. At a very young age, I intuitively felt that my pathway in life will be the arts.

Consequently, art and science influences lead my curatorial focus to artistic and scientific collaborations. The collaborations are successful because I have the pleasure to work with bright, creative and curious individuals. A recipe for success.

RB: Can you say something about the exhibition As Above As Below you curated? What were its aims and outcomes?

EM:  As Above As Below interpreted the metaphor that there is more likely some unknown law that governs the way networks grow and change, from the smallest brain cells to the growth of mega-galaxies.

The six collaborates of 7 Astrophysicists, 6 Neuroscientists and 11 Artists explored parallels between cosmic and brain webs. The sense of wonder towards such enquiries resulted with 6 visions showcased through six multi-media and interactive exhibits.

The exploration of similarities between both webs also highlighted the differences between the two structures. Many of the scientists stated that despite vast differences in spatial scale, there are conceptual links between the networks in the brain and those in the cosmic web. For example: they both contain branching structures that connect neurons and nodes of dark matter to one another, that there are positive feedback mechanisms that give similar results in formation of both the universe and the brain, and that the brain and cosmos have resting commonalities: brainwaves cascade from sleeping brains, whereas gravitational waves flood the quietest regions of space.

However, it was also concluded that the nervous system consists of complex network which bears some resemblance to the cosmic web, but the differences in how these networks evolve and the roles that they play are far greater than the similarities.

RB: You produced the interactive and multidisciplinary exhibition, Mind Matters, in 2014. Can you say more about this and what do see as the important connections between contemporary art and neuroscience?

EM: Mind-Matters promoted public information and general education about the nature of neuroscientific discoveries – the internal mechanisms of the mind, and to learn how the brain performs complex behaviour. It invited the visitors to understand scientific perspectives through the arts and help them grasp the strong connection between contemporary art and neuroscience.

RB: Do you think artists and scientists share any common communication path?

EM: Both Art and Science help us understand the world and perceive what is around us. They strive to reveal something new and to communicate their insights clearly.

Scientists and artists concentrate on asking the big questions placed before us. What is true? Why does it matter? How can we move society forward? They search deeply and inquisitively for these answers.

RB: Why do you think collaboration between artists and scientists is significant?

EM: Both artists and scientists approach problems with similar open-mindedness and inquisitiveness without fear of the unknown. Their studios and laboratories are reserved for open-ended enquiry. They learn through continuous feedback loop between thinking and doing. With such complimentary thinking, there is great potential when they collaborate from the offset – as the outcomes can be exponentially more valuable that when they work apart.

RB: Where do you think the biggest opportunities are for getting more people involved in art science collaborations?

EM: I believe that scientific knowledge needs to be demystified, accessible, clearly and simply described to the general public. To create emphasis and appreciation for such collaborations, people have to get involved in such activities at a very early age.

Art/Science is therefore integrated in their experiences and consciousness and will most likely generate enthusiasm in such collaborations throughout their lives. There are few art curators that focus on such collaborations as such creative endeavors have been mostly generated by science museums. Art/Science collaborations are an evolving art form. They can generate technological innovation and demand a worldwide stage. I believe that Art and Science collaborations will be integrated in art history as the innovative art movement of our times.

RB: Interactions between the arts and sciences has the potential to create new knowledge, ideas and processes beneficial to both fields. Do you agree with this statement?

EM: Yes, I do.

The great lesson to learn from Leonardo da Vinci is don’t think in silos, don’t think in disciplines. Look at the patterns and crosscurrents across nature, which are really beautiful. One of the secrets of Leonardo’s genius was that he made no distinction between art and science.

RB: What projects are you currently working on or have coming up in the future?

EM: Currently, I am Hastings College of the Law’ Art Consultant and working on two future exhibits.

I am developing the Astro Park project – a collaborative partnership between International Parks and few of the most technologically advanced observatories. We will stream images captured by the telescopes within existing or newly dedicated structures within the parks.

The streaming will be accompanied by informational/educational programs and apps to help the visitors understand the universe, astronomy, and witness cosmic phenomena as they occur. We aspire to create a sense of wonder, appreciation, and respect for our planet and the universe.

My second project, Divine Desire, is a Science/Art exhibit exposing the nature of scientific and cultural interpretations of sexuality, gender and present-day perspectives. Its central focus is the exploration of sexuality through the 5 senses.

Art, Creativity, Culture, Education, Science