Lily Simonson: Painting the Deep

Date: 

Saturday, June 30, 2018 (All day)

Repeats every day until Sun Jun 30 2019

Location: 

Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

Glowing under black lights, California artist Lily Simonson’s luminescent paintings embody a synergy between art and science that reveals new ways of seeing and understanding life forms in the deep ocean. Inspired by explorations of deep ocean life made in collaboration with Harvard University professor Peter Girguis, Simonson’s art reflects a passion for the process of science, deep affection for the natural world, and dedication to seeking out, and “bringing to light,” the beauty and mystery of places and lifeforms little known and rarely seen.  

Lily Simonson: Painting the Deep presents six original mural-sized paintings that literally glow with luminescent pigments, and together create an immersive visual experience where light and color materialize out of a sea of darkness, giving form to an alien universe and its creatures that most of us will never have the privilege to know for ourselves.  Through her extraordinary art, Simonson envelops us in this astonishing world, invites us to share in the excitement of exploration and discovery, and challenges us to expand our preconceptions of what it is to be alive.

Free for Massachusetts residents every Sunday morning (year-round) from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm (September through May). Proof of residency required.

Learn more about Lily Simonson: Painting the Deep.