Patrick Hanly

Have you ever wondered what scientists and artists have in common? Patrick Hanly’s Hibiscus is, like physics, keen to show what happens under the surface. We all know that appearances can be deceiving, that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. What about the world around us? How much can we trust what our eyes see? Science has discovered that what we see as solid forms are in fact made up of energy, tiny particles whizzing and zapping through space. If we could somehow change the way we viewed the world, everything – our eyes, Hanly’s painting, the room you are in – would dissolve into movement. Which is what Hanly has done in this painting. The artist shows us what the scientist knows.