Erwin Diener is a man of science. The retired professor of immunology is also a philosopher and a scholar with a keen interest in astronomy, the subject of the latest show to open at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery (GPAG) on Saturday, July 14, titled Heavenly Wonders – Astrophotography.
Diener hopes that his work, 30 poster-sized digital photos of the cosmos – from galaxies millions of light years away to images of exploded super novas – will make the viewer pause to reflect and learn.
“Every artist should know the basics of science,” he told Coast Reporter. “We wouldn’t have the problems that now exist with those who deny climate change.”
Born in Switzerland before WWII, Diener was forced at a young age to think deeply about what it is to be human and to learn to dispel the untruths grown-ups were propagating in wartime. He took refuge in science and listened to scholars talking about the stars. He realized that knowledge can come from cosmology, a branch of astronomy that involves the origin and evolution of the universe, and knowledge is the basis for human behavior.
We live in the Milky Way galaxy. The exhibition photos will show visuals of other faraway galaxies, and they indicate the different gases emitted after star explosions, a colourful array of blue for oxygen, pink for hydrogen and a silvery sprinkling of cosmic dust, which eventually forms matter. These elements become the basic building blocks of life as evidenced on our own planet. The viewer is invited to be moved emotionally by the profound beauty of the universe.
But is it art? It’s a reasonable question. Diener defines art as “anything that makes a visual impression and leads to a response in the viewer.” He’s no stranger to painted pictures as his own art hangs on the walls of his home and his wife, Eva Diener, is an accomplished artist. The opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, July 14 from 2 to 4 p.m. at GPAG.
The photos that Diener will show are taken on his telescope from his own small observatory on the Sunshine Coast pointed at different parts of the sky during different seasons.
Diener is a member of the Sunshine Coast Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and hopes to give some proceeds from the show to the club. Members of the Sunshine Coast Centre will be present to interpret the photos and show the public views of the sky with telescopes on the following Saturday, July 21 at 1 p.m.
In the adjacent Eve Smart room, artist Ines Tancré exhibits her work titled Change of View, photo-based art in different media. It will also trigger philosophical reflections. She writes: “I interpret so-called reality as a constant ‘change of view’ based on the way we perceive and judge individually as well as society.”
Tancré will be at the opening reception on July 14. All are invited. The show runs until Aug. 12.
