The Root of All Art

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

The Starry Night 1889 (PD US) Vincent van Gogh

As artists, our job is that of attentive observation. In being present and paying careful attention, we may experience fleeting moments of awe, connection, inspiration, perhaps even transcendence. It is difficult to describe, but perhaps these words by astrophysicist Adam Frank come close: “. . . the whispers of what lies beyond the boundary of the expressible and the inexpressible.”

Scientists are not so different from artists. They are observers as well. And in their attentive observation, they may also find these enigmatic moments. Adam Frank recently wrote an article for the NPR 13.7 Cosmos and Culture Commentary on Science and Society called, “When Nature Speaks, Who Are You Hearing?” We contacted him to see if we could reproduce parts of it here. It is fascinating to read the words of a scientist describing what we as artists so often feel. He calls it “sacredness”, although he is quick to say that he is not …