USTC Holds Art Exhibition On Lunar Soil Research Achievements
On April 17th, the “Enjoying the Lunar Soil: Art Expo Showcasing Lunar Soil Research Achievements” was held in the central campus of the University of Science and Technology (USTC). The exhibition featured more than 20 exhibits including lunar soil samples brought back by Chang’e-5 and multiform sci-technological artworks jointly created by four laboratories studying lunar soil at USTC, the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the IN THE LAB Scientific Photography Group of the Art and Science Research Centre of USTC.
More than 20 exhibits were shown including high-resolution microscopic images of lunar soil particles. One of the major exhibits entitled “Moon Scales” took its inspiration from Galileo’s free fall experiment and the falling experiment completed by Armstrong after he landed on the moon. Another exhibit, “Waves on the Moon”, showed how scientists had studied lunar soil. Visitors to the exhibition had the opportunity to print 16 wave patterns on the surface of artificial moon soil using a printmaking roller in a glove box. These patterns were imagined, summarized, and created by generations of artists and were meant to simulate the composition of real moon soil.
According to USTC President BAO Xinhe, the exhibition is an important intersection of science and art. Last year, the National Space Administration, Anhui Province, and USTC jointly established the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, and experts from USTC also participated in the Chang’e project. Activities on the 8th China Space Day will be organized in Hefei with the theme of “Knowledge through Materialism and Art,” which provides a great opportunity to explore the mysteries of the universe from both the material and artistic aspects.
According to CHU Jianxun, the secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at USTC, the exhibition successfully embodies the school’s concept of combining technology and humanities. CHEN Lyusheng, the academic advisor and director of the USTC Museum, stated that the exhibition offers an artistic approach for visitors to connect with scientists and explore the lunar soil. CHEN Ye, the secretary of the School of Experimental and Technological Arts of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, explained that the exhibition aims to present scientific knowledge and aesthetic design in an accessible way through interactive effects and technical means.