The sciences have always provided a fount of inspiration for artists. William Turner dabbled in geology, Georges Seurat derived ideas from physics studies and Wassily Kandinsky was fascinated by new discoveries in atomic physics.

Since the end of the last millennium, a conspicuous number of artists have again been inflamed by an interest in the natural science. They botanize plants, typify cow spots, build observation stations for insects, try in open laboratory situations to communicate with frogs, or conduct experiments in which they try to arouse feelings of joy in their subjects.

The present publication traces this phenomenon and shows that contemporary art is by no means increasingly converging with science, let alone merging with it, but is rather standing beside it with a coolly appraising eye. The presented artists are e.g. Brian Collier, Mark Dion, Carsten Höller, John Isaacs, M+M, Carsten Nicolai, Olaf Nicolai, Tyyne Claudia Pollmann and as special guests Marcel Duchamp, Nikolaus Lang and Bruce Nauman.