The art of science — the science of art

The Arts Council of Princeton brings together two singular worlds

By: Christian Kirkpatrick
   Art had a rendezvous with science Saturday night at the Arts Council of Princeton’s benefit, "Dining by Design: From Genomes to Private Homes."
   The event began with cocktails in the soaring atrium of Princeton University’s Carl Icahn Laboratory, a beautiful, sinuous place that embodies the theme of the evening. The laboratory was designed to bring together geneticists, chemists, physicists and others striving to understand how genomes work. But this evening, more than 400 art lovers filled the building’s sleek interior to support the Arts Council and its mission.
   They listened to the Princeton Laptop Orchestra — otherwise known as PLORK — play its own brand of techno-music and watched performers from the Princeton Ballet School dance a free-form imitation of protoplasmic-like materials.
   Arts Council Director Jeff Nathanson presented Shirley Tilghman, Princeton University president, with his organization’s 2006 Arts Vision Award. It honors her role in the Arts Initiative that the university announced earlier this year. This plan involves increased financial support for the creative and performing arts and the creation of an "arts neighborhood" that will be open to the Princeton-area community.
   A molecular biologist, President Tilghman was the first director of the Lewis-Sigler Institute of Interactive Genomics, noted event co-chair Kookie Johnson of Princeton. This institute is housed in the Carl Icahn Laboratory, and President Tilghman was closely involved in the construction of the building, which was designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects and features a large sculpture by Frank Gehry.
   Co-chair and Princeton resident Kathy Herring added that President Tilghman and the university had also been involved in Quark Park, where artists and scientists have collaborated to create more than 20 temporary installations that make scientific concepts accessible to laypeople.
   Mr. Nathanson announced that "Dining by Design: From Genomes to Private Homes" was expected to gross $100,000 — about $20,000 more than last year’s gala. This money will support the council’s community youth programs, including after-school art classes for at-risk children.
   The council provides a lot of free community programming that must be underwritten.
   According to Peter Bienstock, second vice-president of the board of trustees, the council constantly has to raise money through events, campaigns and membership drives to cover these expenses.
   He went on to say that almost all the funds for the new Paul Robeson Center for the Arts have been found. Now the Princeton resident is heading up the effort to amass a $2 million endowment for the organization.
   All this fundraising is exhausting, but financial need has its advantages, he maintains. "It makes you responsive to your community and your mission, and it helps you keep your edge."
   Mr. Nathanson is also looking to the Arts Council’s future, planning for the impending move from the conTEMPORARY Arts Center in the Princeton Shopping Center into its new headquarters. This will be a big space, twice as large as the old one, and he is planning to fill it with classes, exhibits and activities.
   After cocktails at the Carl Icahn Laboratory, each Arts Council supporter traveled to one of 29 homes for dinner and a presentation by a scientist or practitioner of the fine or cultural arts.
   At Debbie Schaefer’s elegant yet whimsical Princeton home, Silvère Boureau spoke about his artistic career. Although he started out as an abstract painter, seeing the Grand Canyon and the works of the Hudson River painters convinced this Frenchman that he should work from nature. Today Mr. Boureau creates sensitive landscapes and murals that express his love and faith in the natural world. Local examples of his work include two murals at the shop Incredible Me in the Princeton Shopping Center and murals in the lightwells and above the fireplace at the Palmer Inn.
   Presenters at other homes included U.S. Representative Rush Holt (D-12), who spoke on astronomer Carl Sagan, and Judith Brodsky of Princeton, founder of the Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper, who talked about printmaking.
   Sponsors for the 2006 Dining by Design included Janssen, LLP; Bloomberg; Cline, Davis & Mann; Nexus Properties, and PNC Advisors.
   Established 37 years ago, the Arts Council of Princeton offers children and adults classes and workshops in the visual, written and performing arts. Areas of instruction include drawing and painting, photography, ceramics, theater and dance.
   While the new Paul Robeson Center for the Arts is being built, most classes are being held in a temporary space, dubbed the conTEMPORARY Arts Center, in the Princeton Shopping Center.
   Registration for the winter semester will begin in late November. For more information about the Arts Council, call (609) 924-8777 or visit www.artscouncilofprinceton.org.