About Communicating Science Through Art

Science and art are often seen as opposites. However, when scientists and artists work together the results can improve our understanding of both.

In this online panel discussion, artists Angela Palmer and Alec Finlay, whose artworks feature in our current Injecting Hope exhibition, will explore artistic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and consider how art can help us gain new insights into and understandings of complex science and shared experiences.

Good to know

Please note that you only need to book one ticket (either an attendee ticket or an attendee with donation ticket) per household/email address. 
The event will be hosted on Zoom. Prior to the event you will be sent an email from Zoom which will include your personal link to join the event. 
This event will be recorded but your cameras and microphones will automatically be switched off.
The event will include automatic captioning. 
We use a third-party provider, Zoom Video Communications Inc, to broadcast our online events. For more information on how they process your personal data, please see Zoom's privacy notice.

Contact us

If you have any queries about this event please contact publicevents@nms.ac.uk.

Our panellists

Angela Palmer

Scottish artist Angela Palmer’s sculpture 2020: The Sphere that Changed the World is a dramatically upscaled three-dimensional 'drawing' of the virus that causes COVID-19. As you walk around the sculpture, the sphere disappears and reemerges, echoing the elusive behaviour of the virus as it continues to spread around the world.

Alec Finlay

Scottish artist and poet Alec Finlay was commissioned to create Scotland’s Covid memorial. His multi-disciplinary artwork, I remember, features an installation of 40 oak tree supports in Pollok Country Park, each inspired by human poses of support, alongside a book of memories from across Scotland, published in paperback and audiobook. The audiobook is read by actor Robert Carlyle and features in our exhibition,Injecting Hope.

Sophie Goggins

Sophie Goggins is Senior Curator of Biomedical Science at National Museums Scotland. Sophie is responsible for the medical and veterinary collections including her particular specialism, contemporary biomedicine.

Hassun El-Zafar

The event will be hosted by Hassun El-Zafar, Director and CEO of Edinburgh Science. Throughout his career, Hassun has produced art and public engagement programmes that explore science, culture, community and technology.