Exploring a Century of Artistic Innovation and Scientific Discovery at Caltech

Before saying goodbye to PST ART, let’s take a look at an intriguing art exhibition from 2024 at Caltech called Crossing Over: Art and Science at Caltech 1920-2020. This unique show ran from September 27 to December 15, 2024, and featured works from talented Los Angeles artists like Shana Maberi, Jane Drucker, Lita Albuquerque, and Helen Pashgian.

Caltech explained that the term “crossing over” was coined in 1912 by Thomas Hunt Morgan and his technician Eleth Cattell. They used it to describe a process in genetics where chromosomes exchange genes. This concept beautifully represents how art and science blend at Caltech—a place known for its innovative spirit.

The exhibition invited visitors on a campus-wide adventure, with pieces displayed in various locations around the picturesque Caltech grounds. The campus is small yet charming, filled with historic buildings and modern designs. Thanks to Pasadena’s pleasant weather, many outdoor areas are equipped with tables and chairs, making it a lovely gathering spot for students and faculty. Some of these spots even showcase whiteboards filled with complex equations.

As we began the tour at Caltech’s Bechtel Mall, we encountered the first installation, The Spectrum Petals, created by Shana Maberi. This eye-catching artwork features seven colorful discs arranged on the lawn that seem to float gracefully. Maberi’s work encourages reflection, drawing on influences from California’s Light and Space movement and evoking ancient astronomical instruments. The colors symbolize a narrow band of light in the electromagnetic spectrum, creating a visual feast for all who pass by.

Next, we headed indoors to the Linde Laboratory for Global Environmental Science, which dates back to 1932. One fascinating feature here is a small solar telescope that shows a live image of the sun. Off to the side, a vintage classroom evokes thoughts of great minds like Einstein, who spent three winter terms at Caltech in the early 1930s.

Our journey continued to the Gates Annex, a building that combines modern and 1960s architectural styles. Here, artist Jane Brucker presented Time Stream, exploring the concept of opposites. Just outside, Lita Albuquerque set up This Moment in Time, a shimmering gold bridge over the reflecting pool. This artwork hints at the creation of gold through nuclear fusion, connecting to Caltech’s groundbreaking research in the 20th century.

In the historic Dabney Lounge, we discovered an unexpected exhibition. This display showcases Caltech’s contributions to scientific imagery in fields like seismology and particle physics. Artifacts related to the Manhattan Project, including declassified photos of nuclear explosions, provided a sobering experience that sticks in the mind.

Finally, at the state-of-the-art Chen Neuroscience Research Building, we found an installation by Helen Pashgian, a pioneer in the Light and Space movement. Her radiant lens from 2023 changes in appearance based on the viewer’s perspective, revealing the fascinating interplay between light and perception.

For over a century, Caltech has merged art and science in remarkable ways, and this exhibition was a wonderful celebration of that legacy.

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