Project in Context

Interdisciplinarity

Nicolescu suggests in his Methodology of Transdisciplinarity, that the boundaries between disciplines ‘are like the separation between galaxies, solar systems, stars, and planets. It is the movement itself that generates the fluctuation of boundaries.’ (2014, p.189). The notion of transdisciplinarity is something I haven’t previously considered, since my own artist practice is inspired by astrophysical phenomena, transdisciplinarity is naturally part of its foundation.

I have often found that art practice often follows this approach: hypothesising an artistic outcome, originating from observation and research and experimenting with material to create the theoretical outcome. Through experimentation, particularly with my own sculptural practice, new findings occur, this has been my own experience with my work on copper.  

I am proposing my own project follows an Interdisciplinary approach; I do not claim to be an expert in the fields of astronomy or outreach, but seek advice from said experts, in order to achieve my outcome: approaching the field of astronomy through creative methodologies. Within this project, I have sought advice and communicated with Professor Andy Newsam (Head of Outreach at the ARI), Gemma Reed (Public engagement at LJMU) and Technician Alec Robinson from the Engineering Institute on the creation of my sculpture.  As articulate by Nicolescu Interdisciplinarity‘… concerns the transfer of methods from one discipline to another’. (p.22). 

 Arts at CERN, the residency program inviting artists to research and create artworks on the ground of CERN, Geneva; proposing a collaborative approach with arts and scientists. As written by the Arts at CERN curator Monica Bello ‘…the shared understanding and creative possibilities that unfold when artists work alongside scientists– each negotiating the boundaries of contemporary creativity–offer and unparalleled landscape for collaboration and insight.’ (Bello, 2025, p.11). This collaborative model is one I wish to base my interdisciplinary research and practice off.

This area of disciplinarity can also be appropriated to my proposed theoretical exhibition of a Supernova sculpture, exploring the space or the Hidden Third between the JLADB and the ARI. The Hidden Third (Nicolescu, 2014) is a mediating space where disciplinary fields interact or “orbit” one another, it is from those fluctuating boundaries, the Hidden Third emerges. As I have explored in my Essay on the figure of the “Alchemist-as-Observer” the Hidden Third requires the participation of the Observer in order to be activated (hence the placement of the telescope in the ARI, facing my sculpture in the JLADB), so that Subject-Object interaction may occur. This area of Outreach would fall into Public Engagement, or rather since it involves two private institutions: interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary engagement. My own communication with GERI and practice in the workshop borrows from the skillset of Technician Alec and the facilities of the field of Engineering with the intention of creation a sculpture (in the discipline of contemporary art), inspired and informed by the Astrophysical phenomena of Supernovae.

My workshop investigates creative, interdisciplinary methodologies for primary science learning through astronomy on the subject of supernovae. According to Harris: ‘Young learners generally learn more effectively when abstract ideas are supported by visual cues and direct observation’ (Harris, 2021; Molenaar, 2022. Cited in Kasiyati, 2025, p.50). My hope in this interdisciplinary approach to teaching is that the creative activities will foster engagement and participation.