Art

Investing in creativity to explore the intersection between art, science and technology.

Disrupted Domains, Laura Splan 04 — Disrupted Domains by BioArtist in Residence Laura Splan

Art meets science

At the Science Center, we use the creative arts as a platform to explore relationships between art, science and technology. Through the Esther Klein Gallery and our BioArt Residency, artists from around the world display works incorporating different mediums and disciplines.

Why do we do this? Because art inspires conversation and gives us a new way to think about things. Artists and scientists aren't that dissimilar and our work helps to bridge that perceived divide.

Check out our Artist Talks and Studio Tours on YouTube

Components of our Arts programming

Esther Klein Gallery (EKG)

EKG is a space where artists showcase their works across different mediums, exploring the intersection between art and science.

Explore EKG

Futures Without Guns

Eight artists working in a variety of mediums create new artworks and design propositions envisioning the possibilities for a future free from gun violence.

Explore Futures Without Guns

BioArt Residency

This program invites artists into the lab, where they work alongside scientists to create art inspired by their research.

Explore BioArt Residency

Art at uCity Square

We work with the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) Percent For Art Program to commission public art around uCity Square, as well as community-based public art programming.

View Recent Projects

Artists who create and innovate and ask questions are not that different from the kind of scientists we have here. So putting the two together, it’s not like apples and oranges, it’s like McIntosh and Honeycrisp apples. They’re all apples. We’re creating and we’re innovating and we’re asking questions—we’re just doing it in slightly different ways.

Ben Doranz, Integral Molecular

500

Artists Featured at Esther Klein Gallery since 1976

40+

Years of Arts Programming at the Science Center

BioArt Residents

Featured Article

The Picture Data Paints

By Cindy Stockton Moore

Program FAQs

We accept exhibition proposals on an ongoing basis for solo and group exhibitions. All of our exhibitions connect to themes of science and/or technology. Exhibitions typically run for six to eight weeks. The exhibition schedule is determined 14–16 months in advance. We also accept proposals for special events, workshops and performances which can take place indoors or outdoors. Please email submissions to ekg@sciencecenter.org.

It started in 1976 when Science Center President Randall M. Whaley saw an opportunity to, “create a receptive atmosphere for the exchange of ideas between artists and scientists that might help solve problems and generate ideas.” That hypothesis was the genesis for what is now known as the Esther Klein Gallery; a space where artists showcase their works across different mediums, exploring the intersection between art and science. And in 2017—after bringing science into the gallery- we created the BioArt Residency in partnership with Integral Molecular, to bring artists into the lab.

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