Susan Kae Grant - Radioactive Substances

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 Maria 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 [4], 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, Curie 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. After earning two degrees by 1894, Curie chose to remain in Paris and begun her scientific career with an investigation of the magnetic properties of various steels. A few months later, Curie met Pierre Curie [5], an instructor at The City of Paris Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Educational Institution and her soon to be future husband. In summer of 1895, the two got married and began their long journey of scientific exploration. After countless years of arduous labor and publications, the couple were finally able to announce the newfound existence of two elements, polonium and radium; they also were the first to coin the term "radioactivity". Unfortunately, unaware of the deleterious effects associate with radiation exposure, in 1934, Curie succumbed to aplastic anemia at the age of 66 due to her long-term, unprotected investigation of radioactive substances; she left behind two daughters and a long lasting legacy as the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields.