The Art of Science is an exhibition, organised by the New Zealand Portait Gallery, Wellington, featuring the Royal Society of New Zealand’s collection of portraits of prominent New Zealand scientists. The exhibition of 57 works includes paintings of some of New Zealand’s most talented scientists including Nobel Prize winners Alan MacDiarmid, Ernest Rutherford and Maurice Wilkins.
Perhaps the most unusual work included in the exhibition is a DNA portrait. It was created by Canadian company DNA 11 from a DNA sample from the Prime Minister’s chief science advisor, Professor Sir Peter Gluckman. The vividly coloured portrait shows only a tiny proportion of the two metres of DNA contained in every one of Sir Peter’s cells.
Also included in the exhibition is a Marianne Muggeridge portrait of Sir Paul Callahan by who died in March 2012. Sir Paul was one of New Zealand’s top scientists and was recognised as New Zealander of the Year in 2011. His enthusiasm and passion for science reached many New Zealanders through his interviews with Kim Hill on Radio New Zealand.
