Artists in residence at the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence

Why not?

It might seem like a non-sequitur— How does the search for aliens require art? — but Tarter and Lindsay took their combined talents to heart. Today, the Artist in Residence (AIR) Program at the SETI Institute includes ten artists who work closely with SETI scientists for two years. Designed to integrate art and the science, the goal of the program is to “expand upon the SETI Institute’s mission to explore, understand, and explain the origin, nature, and prevalence of life in the universe.”

It’s first biennial showing premieres at the New Museum, Los Gatos at the end of October and will display work that resulted from the intimate collaboration between scientists and artists. Lindsay compares the relationship to those formed in dating: It’s got to be a mutual, deep connection that is challenging, respectful, fun, and has that special something that is hard to pin down….