Theses and Dissertations Collection

Art and science have a particular way of combining to elicit wonderment from a generation that, in the face of unimaginable technological advancement, is at risk of losing touch with their sense of wonder. In particular, the aesthetic of scientific apparatus of the Enlightenment period is examined for its potential to inspire reflection and creative thought, even in artistic simulation. The particular body of work explained here visually mimics the wunderkammern of Renaissance and Enlightenment Europe, as well as 17th and 18th century scientific equipment, made primarily of brass and glass, in an attempt to harness that inherent propensity to re-awaken a sense of wonder in those for whom it may have faded.