Sculptor Ned Kahn to explore ‘Turbulent Architecture’ as next University Lectures/Syracuse Symposium speaker, Thursday, Oct. 5

Sculptor Ned Kahn to explore ‘Turbulent Architecture’ as next University Lectures/Syracuse Symposium speaker, Thursday, Oct. 5October 04, 2006Patrick Farrellpmfarrel@syr.edu

Artists use their creativity to reveal the world in new and sometimes unexpected ways. Artist Ned Kahn’s work focuses on the physical world. From the harmonies of randomness to the dynamics of the Earth’s crust, Kahn uses scientific principles to create mesmerizing works of art. Kahn will share his insights about the convergence of science and art with the Syracuse University community Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel. This University Lectures/Syracuse Symposium event is free and open to the public; reduced-rate parking will be available in the Irving Avenue parking garage.

For the past 16 years, Kahn has been creating interactive sculptures inspired by everything from wind and waves to comets, black holes and galaxies. Composed of simple materials such as water, sand and air, Kahn’s artworks are not just celebrations of nature — they are inspired by fluid dynamics and other aspects of science. Kahn is considered one of the most successful artists and exhibit builders in the country and has had major commissions all over the world. He was a 2004 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship (a.k.a. “genius award”).

The University Lectures is a cross-disciplinary lecture series that brings to the University individuals of exceptional accomplishment in the areas of architecture and design; the humanities and the sciences; and public policy, management and communications. The series is supported by the generosity of the University’s Trustees, alumni and friends. The next University Lectures event will feature environmentalist and Nobel Prize recipient Wangari Maathai on Thursday,Oct. 17, in Hendricks Chapel. More information is available at http://provost.syr.edu/lectures/current.asp.

The Syracuse Symposium, presented by The College of Arts and Sciences, is a semester-long intellectual and artistic festival that celebrates interdisciplinary thinking, imagination and creation. This year’s theme is “Imagination.” For more information on symposium events, visit http://symposium.syr.edu.