Finding a space and time for art

A Dublin physicist who specialises in radiation uses art as an antidote to science, writes Dick Ahlstrom

A Dublin physicist who specialises in radiation uses art as an antidote to science, writes Dick Ahlstrom

Art and science very definitely mix when it comes to Prof Denis O'Sullivan. A world expert in radiation exposures to flight crews and astronauts, he has also just opened a major exhibition of his own watercolours in Downpatrick, Co Down.

O'Sullivan is an emeritus professor in the astrophysics section of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies' school of cosmic physics. He has featured regularly over the years on the Science Today page, given his advanced work on radiation doses to aircraft crews and to orbiting astronauts caused by cosmic rays.

He led an European study that showed air crews received a radiation exposure comparable to that received by nuclear plant workers and uranium miners.

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He developed radiation detectors used in "Matroschka", a mannikin flown aboard the International Space Station and used to measure cosmic ray exposures experienced by space travellers.

He continues his research, working with the Johnston Space Centre in Houston, Texas, and he is involved with a Belgian group studying bacteria in space. But post retirement he now also finds time to pursue another interest, watercolour painting.

"I started about 18 years ago. I haven't had a lot of time to develop it. I planned an exhibition five years ago but I didn't follow it up," he says. Pressure of work kept intervening.

His daughter helped spark a latent interest. "My daughter gave me a book on watercolours. She knew I was interested in art."

He tried classes for a time but had to travel to Russia given his involvement in its Phobos missions to Mars so the classes ended.

Over the years he did however manage to place some of his work in the Royal Hibernian Academy in Ely Place, Dublin. The academy periodically invites submissions for exhibition and he sent in some of his work. "I submitted three to the RHA and they took two, so I was very pleased," says O'Sullivan.

He views his style as rather unorthodox and experimental, something that perhaps is in keeping with his scientific work. "I don't use normal watercolour techniques. I ignore all those and tend to experiment myself. I don't do washes. I start with random thoughts and work from there."

Many view art and science as contradictory activities but O'Sullivan doesn't dwell on this issue or worry about the meaning of creativity. "I just enjoy it and I like it as an antidote to physics where you are calculating to 10 decimal points," he says.

He lives in Dublin, but his grandchildren live in Downpatrick, where his work went on display at The Gallery in Downpatrick Library last Monday. When people in the gallery heard he was an artist they asked him to do an exhibition. "I started working on it six months ago and they asked for 30 paintings," he says.

The exhibition, Uncertain Times, is the title given to one of his works, a painting that shows two small apparently helpless figures stranded in an abstract and somewhat threatening environment. "Lots of us feel like that in the world, especially now," he suggests.

He was very pleased to get exhibition space in Downpatrick during March given that the Co Down town becomes the focus of St Patrick's Day religious and social activities at that time.

Prof O'Sullivan's exhibition runs Mon-Sat until March 16th at Downpatrick Library, on Market Street, Downpatrick, Co Down