In this blog post, we’ll examine examples of contemporary art that utilize science and technology as means of artistic expression, and explore how scientific principles are applied to artworks through the works of Olafur Eliasson and Han Yoon-jeong and Han Byung-jun.
Art That Replicates Natural Phenomena Through Science
Drawing inspiration from science has now become a very natural and traditional approach in the art world. Contemporary artists create innovative works based not only on human perception and psychological systems but also on science and technology. While some artists have drawn audience response and media attention by using scientific methods to recreate natural phenomena within exhibition spaces, others present works that transform tactile information into visual and auditory stimuli for the audience. So, how do artists utilize science in their work? To find out, let’s examine the work of two artists who serve as prime examples.
Olafur Eliasson is an artist who incorporates light, water, fog, moss, soil, and wind into a space, allowing viewers to directly experience natural phenomena. “Beauty, 1993” is a significant early work of his, created out of an interest in the elements that make up nature and human perception. Nozzles are suspended from the gallery ceiling, spraying fine droplets of water that form a mist. When spotlights, adjusted to specific angles, shine on this mist, the light is refracted and reflected by the water droplets, creating a rainbow in mid-air. The colors and shape of this rainbow vary depending on the viewer’s position and movement; it is not a static image that appears the same from every vantage point. As visitors walk through the installation, they physically experience not only the visual phenomena created by the light and water droplets but also the humidity and the atmosphere of the space. In fact, this work uses water, nozzles, hoses, pumps, and spotlights to recreate the natural phenomenon of a rainbow within the exhibition space.
Eliasson has consistently treated viewer participation and experience as key elements in his work. In “Beauty” as well, the appearance of the rainbow changes depending on the viewer’s position, and the viewer’s gaze and movement alter the very way the work is experienced. Therefore, rather than being a static object within the exhibition space, the work can be understood as a phenomenon experienced in the moment through the combination of light, water, space, and the viewer’s movement.
The Science of Rainbows Created by Light and Water Droplets
The principle behind a rainbow—where white light, a combination of visible light rays, is refracted as it passes through tiny water droplets in the air, then reflected inside the droplets and refracted again, separating into various colors—is a relatively familiar scientific phenomenon. This is precisely the law of nature that Eliasson designed for visitors to experience together, and it is a key element of the artwork. A simplified explanation of this principle is as follows:
When white light enters a water droplet in the air, it is refracted once at the interface between the water and the air, reflected inside the droplet, and then refracted once more as it exits the droplet. During this process, the degree of refraction varies depending on the wavelength of the light. Generally, within the visible spectrum, light in the violet range—which has a shorter wavelength—is refracted more than light in the red range, which has a longer wavelength. As the direction of propagation differs slightly for each color, white light is separated into various colors, and the light reaching the viewer’s eyes is perceived as a rainbow. The colors and shape of the rainbow vary not only depending on the direction of the light but also on the position of the water droplets and the viewer’s vantage point.
It was by utilizing these optical principles that the artist was able to make the rainbow appear in a specific location and form within the exhibition space. The artist adjusts the positions and angles of the spotlights and nozzles, taking into account the direction of the light, the mist created by the water droplets, and the viewer’s vantage point. As a result, a kaleidoscope of colors appears and disappears in response to the viewer’s movements, creating a constantly shifting beauty. In “Beauty,” the rainbow is not merely an image imitating nature, but a phenomenon brought to life by the combination of physical elements—light and water—and the viewer’s perception. By utilizing optical principles such as prisms and lenses, along with various materials and devices, Eliasson enables viewers to experience natural phenomena in a new way within his artwork.
Art That Transforms Fingerprints into Sound
Another artist, Han Yoon-jeong, creates works that explore human identity and individuality using media technology. “Sounds of Fingertips” by Han Yoon-jeong and Han Byung-jun is an interactive sound installation that generates musical sounds using each person’s unique fingerprint. Since fingerprints are unique biometric data—so distinct that they are used for identity verification—the artists viewed them as both a representation of personal identity and a tool for expressing one’s own voice. Visitors can explore their own unique identities through sound by directly experiencing the sounds derived from their fingerprints.
One of the core technologies used in “Sounds of Fingertips” is a fingerprint recognition system. When a visitor places a finger on the fingerprint scanner, the fingerprint data is read, and based on this, the fingerprint pattern is converted into visual and auditory information. In the work, the fingerprint pattern functions like a record, producing different sounds depending on which specific parts of the fingerprint the visitor selects or manipulates. In this way, as fingerprints—biometric data unique to each individual—are converted into musical information, visitors use their own fingers to directly create the sounds of the artwork. The sonification of fingerprints, capable of producing an infinite variety of combinations, and their distinctiveness serve to reveal the visitor’s very existence. The visitor’s fingertips become a sound source, a composer, and a conductor, performing the music.
There are various types of fingerprint recognition systems based on their operating principles; capacitive fingerprint sensors recognize fingerprint patterns by utilizing differences in electrical characteristics that occur between the ridges and valleys of a fingerprint. When a fingerprint is greatly magnified, the outward-protruding parts are called ridges, and the inward-depressed parts are called valleys. When a finger is placed on the sensor’s surface, the ridges become relatively closer to the surface, while the valleys are positioned farther away. By measuring the differences in capacitance at each part of the sensor, it is possible to distinguish the ridges and valleys of the fingerprint. This capacitive method has been used in various fingerprint recognition systems, including the biometric features of smartphones in the past. However, today, multiple fingerprint recognition technologies—such as optical and ultrasonic methods—are used in conjunction, so it is not possible to describe the entire field of fingerprint recognition technology using a single method.
Contemporary artists continue to create works that realize their artistic visions and principles of form by applying appropriate technologies based on a precise understanding of science. In Eliasson’s work, the physical phenomena of light and water combine with the viewer’s perception to create a singular artistic experience, while in Han Yoon-jeong and Han Byung-jun’s ‘Sounds of Fingertips’, fingerprints—a person’s unique biometric information—are converted into sound and music through digital technology. As such, the convergence of science and art goes beyond merely using scientific principles as decorative elements in artworks; it can offer new perspectives on how we view and experience nature and humanity. Artists who will shape the future of art will also expand the boundaries of art by understanding science and technology and applying them creatively.
