Art Inspired Science at the Weizmann Institute

Where do scientists find inspiration for the next steps in their research? For some, inspiration emerges in a dance studio through movement, in the kitchen through culinary exploration, or through a deep engagement with sound or music.

ART.IS (Art Inspired Science) is a unique program at the Weizmann Institute designed to provide a space for scientists of all levels (from PhD to PIs) to explore creative thinking through artistic mediums. Guided by leading figures from the Israeli art world, participants engage with different artistic mediums while reflecting on the connections between art and their own scientific work. In doing so, they deepen both their creative and scientific journeys. Roughly half of the participants come from abroad, and the program operates in intimate cohorts of 15 scientists from a wide range of disciplines and career stages.

This interdisciplinary initiative was founded by PhD students Julia Eva Fortmueller, in the lab of Prof. Asaph Aharoni, Dept, of Plant and Environmental Sciences, and Alon Barshap, in the lab of Dr. Nir Fluman, Dept. of Biomolecular Sciences.

Originally from Austria, Julia studied biotechnology at Technical University of Graz and was accepted to pursue her PhD studies at the Weizmann Institute. She shared, “I knew this would be a place where I would truly learn a lot and grow beyond my comfort zone,” she says, “becoming both a better person and a better scientist.”

For Julia the impact of ART.IS has been transformative in her research. “(The ART.IS program) gave me confidence to be more playful in the lab, trying out new ideas and not being afraid of failure.” She reflected on a deeper level to explain, “It helped me become more of the person I want to be in science and to bring my own personality into my research.”

For Alon, art is deeply intertwined with both his identity and his approach to science. “I’m fascinated by protein structures,” he says. “I look at their shapes the same way I look at art, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to ‘visit’ this beauty every day in the lab.”

Alon and Julia met through a dance improvisation program on campus, and from there, the idea of ART.IS was born. They believe that meaningful interaction with artists had the potential to their science so much that they started to develop their own methodology to acquire more practical tools for their research.

As Alon put it, “The grand goal of the program is to help scientists make better science through interaction with artists.” He went on to explain, “We think that artists can help us in this regard by teaching their way of doing while helping us look at the strengths and biases (of our current work).” Alon expressed his connection with the unique space that is creating with the interaction of scientists and artists: “I think that the art practice can be used as a language bridge between scientific fields for bold collaborations.”

This program has been sponsored by the Weizmann-Mandel Humanities Program, and in past years also through Braginsky Center for the Interface Between Science and the Humanities and the Weizmann School of Science.

Meaningful contributors of the program include Weizmann scientist, Prof. Atan Gross, Dept. of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, as well as Dr. Michal Lev, a leading art-based researcher and psychotherapist, and Lotem Rozen, former experience designer at the Clore Garden of Science, who helped shape the ARTIS 2025 class space and layout.