Lab-Art: A Retrospective

Scientists have a reputation of being stoic, artless, even robotic.  Not so!  We're always looking for opportunities to express ourselves creatively.  For example, Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffmann has expressed himself by creating some of the worst poetry ever written. 

Over my years in chemistry I have had a number of particularly expressive lab-mates. Unfortunately, I didn't make any effort to document or collect any of their work...until now.  Since the Exelixis Chemistry Department is in its death throes (cough...gasp..."Rosebud!"), I thought it was time to reveal some of the amazing art that has sprung up in our lab over the years.  Unfortunately, I feel it inappropriate to share some of the most elaborate Photoshop work on display.  Some of my current and former colleagues will be pounding the pavement in search of new work soon, and they might not appreciate being confronted in interviews with images of their faces superimposed onto babies' bodies or characters from 'Napoleon Dynamite'.  Even so, prepare to have your minds blown!

Let us begin with an abstract sculpture by Kat.  The work may just appear to be a smoothed and rounded ball of used aluminum foil, but I think the discerning eye will recognize that it is much more that.  It's poignant, sublime, avant garde and any number of other artsy-fartsy words all at the same time.  The piece is maybe 5 inches in diameter and weighs 636 grams (1.4 lbs).  The mass and dimensions are awe-inspiring.

Next let us to move to a piece of graffiti art by Anagha (well, it's on her fume hood, anyway).  The orange sharpie drawing on safety glass is evocative of something else similarly pretty...let's say a wave made out of swirly doodles with a plant growing out of it.  Van Gogh never made a piece as profound.  The blue sharpie sun in upper left is just parasitic vandalism by some anonymous tagger.

Our next piece, might be best described satirical pop art.  No...scratch that.  The piece would best be described as a joke submission by Steve to the 'Exelixis Chemistry Slogan and Logo' competition.  Still I like it.  It's sassy.  Very, very sassy.  (FYI, the winning slogan was 'Exelixis: Chemistry Evolved'.  Yeah, that probably paints our department in a better light).

The final piece in this series speaks for itself.  Again this work is by Steve, and it says "Yoda vomiting tissues (Kimwipes actually)".  It's awesome....and practical.