Susan Kae Grant - Radioactive Substances: Difference between revisions
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=== Marie Curie === | === Marie Curie === | ||
Maria Salomea Skłodowska, commonly known as Marie Curie, was born in Warsaw on November 7th, 1867 as the fifth and youngest child of well-known educators Bronisława and Władysław Skłodowski. Born during a time of political unrest, specifically due to national uprisings aimed at restoring Poland's independence, Curie's childhood was marred with poverty and illness. After losing both her mother and older sister in a short span of time, fell into depression and moved to the countryside with her paternal relatives. While in the countryside, Curie offered tutoring services to many students until she saved enough money to fund her higher education. In 1891, Curie moved from Poland to France and enrolled in the University of Paris where she continued her studies in physics, chemistry, and mathematics. | |||
== Material Analysis == | == Material Analysis == | ||
Revision as of 16:52, 19 April 2024
Introduction
Created in 1994-1995 for the exhibition "Science and the artist's book" held at the Smithsonian Institution and the Washington Project for the Arts in 1995, Susan Kae Grant's Radio-active Substances is like no other artists' book I've ever seen before. Housed at the University of Pennsylvania's [1] Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, the book appears to be something you would find in a chemistry laboratory as opposed to a library. Encased in a small lead box are 5 glass tubes and a 10 x 15 cm spiral note book consisting of 28 pages and various illustrations that all honor the legacy of Marie Sklodowska Curie [2]. Renowned as the first scientist to win the Nobel Prize twice, in 1903 and 1911, Curie accomplished more than what most women could even dream of at the time. Described as Grant's "evocative interpretation of Curie's 1903 dissertation presented at the Sorbonne in Paris" [3], Radio-active Substances portrays Curie's biggest life challenge: the struggle to balance her duties as a wife and mother with her unwavering pursuit of scientific knowledge in an era that disproved of the latter. In addition, the book illustrates the physical and emotional burden that accompanied Curie's radioactive endeavors.
Historical Context
Artists' Books
done by weekend
Printing Technique
done by weekend
Marie Curie
Maria Salomea Skłodowska, commonly known as Marie Curie, was born in Warsaw on November 7th, 1867 as the fifth and youngest child of well-known educators Bronisława and Władysław Skłodowski. Born during a time of political unrest, specifically due to national uprisings aimed at restoring Poland's independence, Curie's childhood was marred with poverty and illness. After losing both her mother and older sister in a short span of time, fell into depression and moved to the countryside with her paternal relatives. While in the countryside, Curie offered tutoring services to many students until she saved enough money to fund her higher education. In 1891, Curie moved from Poland to France and enrolled in the University of Paris where she continued her studies in physics, chemistry, and mathematics.