New exhibition showcases deep space

A compilation of photographs of deep space taken by telescopes of NASA and by independent photographers will be on display at the Art Gallery to showcase the beauty and grandeur of the universe.

David Em, computer assisted drawing instructor, is the curator of "The Shape of the Universe: Recent Deep Space Photography," and has an obvious dedication to and enthusiasm for the subject matter.

"These pictures have all been taken within the decade, some even as new as the past weeks," he said. "Even specialists haven't seen some of these pictures."

Em said the universe is surrounded by energy, and there's a lot out there, constantly exploding. "This room is about star birth, from the stars on up instead of the Earth down low. [This exhibit] is unique in that the photographs are presented in more of an art context," Em said.

Many of the photographs in the exhibit were also taken by independent photographers who invested in telescopes and cameras to take pictures. What's special about the exhibit, he said, is that this is the first time they will be credited by name, and is thrilled that some of them were scheduled to appear at the exhibit on Nov. 7 night.

Brian Tucker, director of the art gallery, said in an email, "The show has been assembled with the cooperation of astronomers from around the world, including several who work at Caltech or Jet Propulsion Laboratory."

Em said he found it astonishing how many people know very little about what's happening in the universe.

"By doing this exhibit at a college, my primary motivation is that the gallery is exposing people [to art]. If they leave asking more questions than what they came in with, that's a success," Em said.

He said that he worked 50 hours a week for two months to compile all the photographs and get them printed on fine art paper with the right colors. He said he was sweating bullets throughout a nightmarish ordeal of technical issues such as printers blowing up. But in the end, with help from a team of people in the gallery, and a lot of non-stop work, he said he is satisfied with how it turned out.

"Every image in this show has its own significance," he said. "This is from an artist point-of-view rather than science. Any art show is about context and editing, and this one shows the larger structure [of the universe]."

Em has been interested in space and the universe for a long time, and had been involved with NASA and JPL. "I've had a crash course in science from Caltech and Hubble," he said. "I've learned a lot, but there's an ocean of information."

"The images of deep space are beautiful and truly mind-boggling," Tucker said. "I'm hoping this show will attract an audience who may not usually come to art galleries."

The exhibit runs through Feb. 9.