Art Inspired by Science

A St Cuthbert's Society Exhibition 2024

In January 2024 St Cuthbert’s Society are hosting an exciting new exhibition Art Inspired by Science, which will display a collection of images of biological systems alongside creative responses. These are invited from both creative professionals and the wider community, especially, Cuth’s students. This forms part of the College's Wider Student Experience programme and is supported by the Biophysical Sciences Institute.

Through the relationships between the images and responses the exhibition aims to explore complementary interests and experiences from the different perspectives of the artist and scientist.

The biological images on display are a selection of those collected by Dr Robert Banks during his career working at the forefront of his field. His research in the area of comparative neuroscience explores the structures that act at the junction between muscle and nerve cells. For more information about Bob's research see links to recent publications and review articles below.

• The association between muscle architecture and muscle spindle abundance. Kissane, R. W. P., Charles, J. P., Banks, R. W., & Bates, K. T. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13(1) doi:10.1038/s41598-023-30044-w
• There and back again: 50 years of wandering through terra incognita fusorum. Banks, R. W. (2023). Experimental Physiology, doi:10.1113/EP090760  
• Spindles are doin’ it for themselves: Glutamatergic autoexcitation in muscle spindles. Bewick, G. S., & Banks, R. W. (2021). Journal of Physiology, 599(11), 2781-2783. doi:10.1113/JP281624

Open Call - How to Get Involved

Creative responses are now being invited from both creative professionals, and the wider community, especially, Cuth’s students. Pieces created in response will be selected by a panel within the College and displayed alongside the images as part of the exhibition. Unfortunately, no funding is available to cover the costs of preparing these pieces. Any costs associated with exhibiting them will be covered for those selected for the exhibition. Please get in touch if you have any questions about the exhibition or how to get involved. 

The Images

A selection of images from Dr Banks's research and teaching is on temporary display in the dining hall of 12, South Bailey and in the slide show below. In place, they are deliberately shown without explanatory details. To find out more about them please click on the links below to read a brief description.