{"id":13954,"date":"2018-07-26T15:00:06","date_gmt":"2018-07-26T13:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.embl.de\/?p=13954"},"modified":"2024-03-22T10:51:35","modified_gmt":"2024-03-22T09:51:35","slug":"pdbe-art-exhibition-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/pdbe-art-exhibition-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Art meets structural biology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cI\u2019ve spent my whole life looking at protein structures and there\u2019s nothing quite as beautiful. Today, it\u2019s so nice to see others inspired by these structures.\u201d This is how Janet Thornton, Director Emeritus of the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI)<\/a> and Senior Scientist welcomed visitors to the opening of the exhibition organised by the Protein Data Bank in Europe (PDBe)<\/a>. The exhibition, entitled \u2018Artworks inspired by life\u2019s building blocks\u2019, runs from 16-28 July at Michaelhouse Caf\u00e9<\/a> in Cambridge, UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visitors can explore a range of paintings, sculptures and fashion designs created by local school students and inspired by the 3D protein structures available at PDBe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Visitors
Scientists, art lovers, school students and friends gathered in Michaelhouse Caf\u00e9 in Cambridge to celebrate the official opening of the PDBArt exhibition. PHOTO: Oana Stroe\/EMBL-EBI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A unique collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Protein Data Bank is a worldwide archive of protein, DNA and RNA structures. It\u2019s based at three sites around the world, in Japan, the US, and in the UK at EMBL-EBI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the last two years, the PDBe team has worked with local schools and art societies to inspire pupils with science. After exploring 3D macromolecular structures and discussing with scientists what the proteins do, the students are encouraged to create their own artistic interpretations. The students explore new ideas using different materials, so there\u2019s a lot of development from the original discussion to the final artwork. This ensures the resulting artworks are very diverse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Painting
The 2018 artworks include paintings, ceramics and fashion designs. PHOTO: Sreenath Nair \/EMBL-EBI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWorking with the students, seeing what captures their imagination and observing their artworks develop over the course of the past year has been a truly inspiring experience,\u201d says David Armstrong, Outreach and Training Coordinator at PDBe. \u201cI would encourage more scientists to get involved in this type of project; it\u2019s a good way of stepping out of your comfort zone and it can be extremely satisfying; you can also learn a lot about different ways that science can be interpreted and represented.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Visitors
Twelve artworks will feature in PDBe\u2019s 2019 calendar. PHOTO: Oana Stroe\/EMBL-EBI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Exploration and curiosity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best part about the course was being able to have art and science together, not isolating each subject, having everything combined,\u201d explains Henry N., who studies at Impington Village College. \u201cI feel quite proud; I\u2019ve never had that before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to show the impact that science, proteins and Alzheimer\u2019s disease have on people, so I went large-scale because I think it draws people in and it makes you feel consumed by the piece, which is also what the disease does,\u201d says Lucy Tunsley, student at Stephen Perse Foundation Sixth Form College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Artwork
Disruption of the Mind \u2013 an artwork by Lucy Tunsley, portraying the effects of tau tangles in Alzheimer\u2019s disease. PHOTO: Oana Stroe\/EMBL-EBI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe artistic impulse springs from within, while science is very much focused on the external world,\u201d says Liz Tyszka, Young Arts Committee Member for the Art Society CANTAB. \u201cThis exhibition brings the two together. The unique character of the project also attracts extremely passionate and talented people \u2013 it has been a pleasure working with them and we hope to see the project continue to grow in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PDB Art 2018 was a collaboration with the Leys School and the Perse School in Cambridge, Impington Village College and the Stephen Perse Foundation, with support from the Art Society CANTAB and the Art Society GRANTA.<\/p>\n\n\n