All science is art, but not all art is science

Why the intergration of arts and sciences deserves more attention

When we talk about arts and sciences, we talk about two separate disciplines that may have their moments of togetherness. But are they really that far apart from one another? The G-Cat wrote a very nice post about this. Both art and science are method-based ways of exploring the universe and our place in it. Science is often said to focus on understanding the laws of nature, whereas the arts are concerned with our subjective perception and position in relation to the world and each other.

Art is not (just) a tool for science communication

When artists are brought onto science projects, this often happens towards the end or even after the conclusion of a research project. The goal? To use art to communicate science to the general public.^{[1, 2]} But artists have their own way of working, which is valuable beyond translating the outcomes of scientific research. As Siân Ede points out, “such work may not go much further than decoration”.^[1] (Figure 1 shows an example of the role that art traditionally plays as ‘part of’ science).

Allowing for more art in the sciences

Making space for and actively integrating art and its practices into scientific research may lead to new insights or even lead to more solid outcomes. Science generally aims to produce results that are comparable, whereas art often prides itself on its uniqueness. That does not mean that art has no outcome; it can help us uncover new paths to explore or question our understanding of how we perceive things. Where science is aiming to be objective, art not only leaves – but actively creates – space for feelings and emotions. In that, art becomes a means of knowing in and of itself – in addition to scientific practices.^[2]

A critique of scientific research is the general aim to be objective. And while most scientists certainly try to be as objective as possible in their research, true objectivity is impossible to achieve. Artists try to embrace this positionality by taking into account and often challenging their own position. I would argue that this approach could result in more transparency without taking away from the objectivity of scientific research.

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References
[1] Ede, S. Science and the Contemporary Visual Arts. Public Understanding of Science 11, 65–78 (2002). http://doi.org/10.1088/0963-6625/11/1/304

[2] Greaves, S., Benincasa, C., Bernardi, V. & Eeckels, A. SciArt collaborations at the Joint Research Centre: Understanding and evaluating transdisciplinary innovation beyond economic value. Technovation 143, 103229 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103229

[3] Zaelzer, C. The value in science-art partnerships for science education and science communication. eneuro 7, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0238-20.2020