Anna Mikkola, a Berlin designer and friend with a particular interest in books and exhibitions, approached Anni Puolakka and Jenna Sutela of OK Do with an idea of doing a project on the life of publications. As it happened, OK Do was just planning Science Poems, their first book and exhibition, which felt like a natural point of departure for common ventures. So, the three ended up in a discussion about the both. …(more)

What is the relationship between human and celestial bodies, planets, stars and such? Are our characters tied to constellations, and fates linked to falling stars?

…(more)

The principles of quantum mechanics, the study of energy and matter on the subatomic scales, are difficult for the human mind to understand. We are accustomed to reasoning the world on a scale where classical physics is an adequate approximation. But quantum physicists deal with nature in a counter-intuitive way; taking it as absurd as it is, and being concerned with multiple realities. I think I know what they’re talking about, because I have seen glimpses of parallel universes, within the ordinary, stretching my concepts of time and space. …(more)

Following the traditional mindset of science fiction, OK Do’s Science Poems project explores the poetry and multi-sensorial aesthetics of science rather than its functionality and logic. This summer, on June 4–6, 2010, it brought together a group of designers and artists for an exhibition at 0fr gallery and bookstore. The weekend also saw the launch of the Science Poems book which explores the topic through images and texts by us and the people around us. The book and the exhibition are now travelling around the world – the latest Science Poems party took place in Helsinki on July 10 at Napa Gallery. …(more)

The word ‘philosophy’ comes from the Greek word ‘philosophia’, literally ‘love of wisdom’. In preparation of the Science Poems exhibition and book, we felt the need for wisdom and a deep conversation about the role of aesthetics in science. What do art and design have to offer science? How and why should the disciplines be brought together? We sat down with Tomi Kokkonen, a philosopher at the University of Helsinki, to talk about aesthetics as a cognitive and critical tool for science – a tool for depicting subjective meanings and bringing science to life. …(more)

Introduced by architect and artist Yukinori Maeda in 1997, Cosmic Wonder is a Japanese art organisation exploring the concepts of light and universal love through three independent projects: COSMIC WONDER art project, COSMIC WONDER Light Source fashion project and COSMIC WONDER FREE PRESS book project with the Zurich publishing house Nieves. …(more)

OK Do met Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, both designers and Royal College of Art (RCA) professors, to talk about their work at the intersection of design, art and science. We also asked them to name the 3 most interesting areas or concepts in which design and science meet. Dunne & Raby’s 1–3 list links to our forthcoming Science Poems exhibition and publication. …(more)

OK Do met Marc-Olivier Wahler, the director and curator of Palais de Tokyo, to talk about his recent exhibition trilogy in the intersection of science and imagination, and about practices of curating and interpretation. We also asked him to name the 3 most interesting areas or concepts in which art and science meet. Wahler’s 1–3 list links to our forthcoming Science Poems exhibition and publication. …(more)

OK Do met with chef Jouni Toivanen from the Helsinki-based Michelin star restaurant Luomo for a cooking lesson in molecular gastronomy. We prepared green tea ice cream. …(more)

The Science Poems mix sets out to explore the sound of science and the science of sound. The playlist ranges from sonic experiments and musical inventions to sounds and music deriving from science. But while science can be described as a systematic knowledge-base or a prescriptive practice, best sounds don’t usually make any sense. So listen, let dopamine set the mood and get lost in science. …(more)