A note on the issue: The confluence of art and science

The trees at the new Science Gallery Bengaluru wear backpacks, lumpy little triangles of brown strapped to their trunks. I assumed it was a new-fangled gardening tool to send nutrients directly into weakened trees, but inside the gallery, standing in front of an interactive installation by artist Jane Tingley, I realised the little backpacks housed sensors that tracked the way the trees react to wind, carbon dioxide in the air, sunshine, rain, sound and ambient light. About 100 years ago, Albert Einstein said that the greatest scientists are artists as well, but in India, the distinction between science and art remains particularly stark. Fortunately, a number of artists across the country have started pushing back against this presumption and are using science as the basis for their art, as our cover story details this week. Indian artists and gallerists are also making their way to Art Basel Hong Kong this week, showcasing work of emerging and established artists whose work addresses issues of belonging, borders and interconnectedness.