A recent exhibition at the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics brings together the fields of science and art, offering visitors a reflective exploration on the concept of 'Albedo.' The exhibition, titled “Flows of Reflectivity,” was curated by Patricia Maurides from the Department of Art and Karina Yager of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.
The exhibit features photographs of glacial landscapes and vibrant sceneries, which invite contemplation and discussion among attendees. "We want to share our commitment to protecting the natural environment with the power of photography for both artistic and scientific inquiry," stated Maurides at the opening on March 27. The curators aim to connect sciences with the arts to communicate messages about climate change.
Karina Yager explained the relevance of 'albedo' in the collection, highlighting how it affects global climate by influencing temperature stability. She elaborated, "Glaciers are high in albedo; they have a high reflectivity. They reflect incoming solar radiation, helping the planet to cool, but greenhouse gasses are warming the planet, so there’s an imbalance."
Yager's work documents changes in Peru’s Cordillera Vilcanota mountain range, showing the impact of climate change on high-altitude areas and local communities. Her expeditions capture powerful visual evidence, demonstrating changes over time. "We set up a camera at the glacier forefront and that way we can report the change over time. It’s so powerful visually… You can’t argue with a photograph," she noted.
The cultural significance of the glaciers to Andean Indigenous communities is also highlighted by Yager, who said, "The glacier is also called Apu, which means deity for the Indigenous peoples. A lot of the glaciers are social beings. They’re deities who are protectors and providers."
Both curators integrate scientific concepts with artistic expression. Maurides, with her dual background in biology and visual art, presents works that blend photography with biology. "This was my first love: the bacteriophage lambda," she said, describing her photograph of magnified bacteria.
Her other photographs, such as “Blink” and “Alchemy of Light,” delve into the interactions of light and reflectivity. “Blink” features Maurides' optic nerve in relation to a Montauk landscape, while “Alchemy of Light” uses reflective surfaces and prisms, involving contributions from adults with neurodiversity.
Lorraine Walsh, art director at the Simons Center, praised the collaborative effort, saying, "Patricia Maurides and Karina Yager’s work demonstrate the interconnectedness of art and science, the power of observation and perception, and the important role photography performs as a tool for both climatic documentation and reflective storytelling."
The exhibition will run in the Simons Center Gallery until June 20.