Creative physics - what? | Book Events

Are Angels OK There is a week-long event in Wellington starting on Monday which surely must be some kind of world first. A collaboration between the top creative writers at the International Institute of Modern Letters, the best physicists of New Zealand, and the Royal Society of New Zealand. And it’s sponsored by the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (oh grrr, don’t you just love that word? Makes me come over all unnecessary – I’ve read Shrodinger’s Cat you know… well, started it a few times anyway).

It’s all happening because this year is the World Year of Physics, and everyone is celebrating Albert Einstein who turned the world upside down with his brilliance and forced us, years later, to contemplate such heady concepts as time travel and teleporting – possibly a reality in our lifetimes. So NZ physicists invited NZ creative writers to interpret their findings. ‘Are angels OK?’ Bill Manhire asked them. ‘Angels are just fine,’ they said.

So: Are Angels OK begins on Monday with Jo Randerson’s ‘theatrical lecture’ entitled ‘Everything We Know’. Which will no doubt be completely insane, but quite brainy. Much like Jo herself in fact. (We will be asking Jo a few questions, metaphysical and otherwise, this week, and the results will be posted soon after her appearance. Watch this space).

Tuesday brings a special, one-off performance of the music Albert Einstein loved to play, by Diedre Irons, Donald Armstrong of the NZSO, and Ray Henwood, followed by the appearance of Glenn Colquhoun who is apparently producing poetry equivalents of ten famous physics equations, I am reliably informed by Bill Manhire.

Wednesday, a rare treat in the form of Margaret Mahy. She has always been interested in physics (obviously) and will be speaking about the mysteries of the universe. Then on Thursday 17, the big kahuna: Two Worlds. This will entail a panel, consisting of Bill Manhire, Margaret Mahy again, Elizabeth Knox (naturally), Paul Callaghan, Tony Signal and Phil Butler, discussing the pros and cons of Life, the Universe and Everything. Imagine if they came up with 42, would that be spooky or what?

For details of times etc, go to the RSNZwebsite. All events are free and the only one they’d like you to book tickets for (just to let them know how many to expect) is the last one. Email your address and number of tickets to angels@rsnz.org and prepare to get cosmic.

11 Nov 05 | Filed by Kathy | Add your comment (1 so far)

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Comment by David Howard ~ November 11, 2005 11:31 AM

World first? In its particulars yes; in its conception, no. There are numerous international precursors, such as the University of Utah's annual symposium on Science and Literature. Sessions at the 2003 symposium included:

- “The Body in Question” by poet Jorie Graham

- “Emotion, Feeling, and Identity: The Brain View” by neurologist Antonio Damasio

- “Being No One: Consciousness and the First-Person Perspective” by philosopher Thomas Metzinger

The symposium's mission statement is to “open lines of communication among thinkers in various fields [the sciences, arts and humanities] around scientific issues influencing all the fields.”

Sound familiar? Earlier this year the British engaged in a more direct collaboration between scientists and writers - one which may have provided the model for ours. None of which limits the value of our incarnation, however we should modestly acknowledge it as an incarnation rather than a 'world first'. Context creates meaning.