Meaningful Art–Science Interactions

What can art and science learn from each other? What happens when science meets arts? Drawing on concrete cases, this book explores the diverse forms of science-art interactions through an interdisciplinary lens, highlighting insights and experiences.This book originates from the Palettes research project at KU Leuven, an interdisciplinary initiative supported by Methusalem funding, one of Belgium’s most prestigious long-term research grants awarded to internationally recognized scholars. As the development of the chapters is coordinated within the project and supported by close collaboration across disciplines, the book maintains a clear and shared focus, namely: what makes these art- science interactions in their specific case contexts ‘meaningful’, and what others can learn from them. At the same time, it embraces an interdisciplinary perspective that reflects the diversity of approaches and perceptions within the project, allowing the individual cases to generate broader, transferable insights. Across the chapters, the leading question is what makes these interactions and collaborations both meaningful and challenging. It offers an in-depth understanding of integrating art in scientific research as a distinct way of knowing and engaging with the world, rather than as a mere instrument or tool, while providing guidance for navigating challenges.

Priscilla Van Even is an inter- and transdisciplinary researcher at the Meaningful Interactions Lab, KU Leuven, Belgium where she studies knowledge translation, epistemic diversity, and visual representation in science, with a particular focus on the role of art and images in the Palettes project. Her work examines how artistic and scientific practices intersect, and how creative methodologies can support meaningful public engagement with science. Bieke Zaman is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at KU Leuven and Co-Principal Investigator of the Palettes project. Her research examines how children engage with art and culture, with a particular focus on technological mediation. She studies how digital tools shape learning processes, and social interaction, and how interdisciplinary methods can enrich research on art engagement.