The Institute for Basic Science will host the science–art convergence exhibition “IBS Art in Science” at the IBS Science Culture Center Exhibition Hall from November 26, 2025 (Wed.) to July 31, 2026 (Fri.).

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this year’s Art in Science is co-organized with the Max Planck Society (MPG), one of the world’s leading basic science research organizations. The exhibition presents a wide selection of works produced by IBS researchers, MPG’s renowned “Images of Science”, as well as visual materials arising from collaborations between the two institutions.

At the heart of the exhibition are the long-standing programs through which both IBS and MPG have sought the “beauty within science.” IBS Art in Science features images created directly by IBS researchers, capturing moments of wonder discovered during the research process. MPG’s Images of Science visualizes the invisible world through microscopy, electron microscopy, simulations, and more, revealing the aesthetic dimension of scientific inquiry.

This special exhibition, subtitled “From the Unknown: Art in Science × Images of Science,” consists of three sections:

Discovery, Exploring the Unknown

This section highlights the essence of basic science and IBS’s core research ethos. It introduces works created by IBS researchers exploring uncharted scientific territory—from dark-matter electric field simulations to flashes of heavy-ion collisions and structures formed by tissues and biomolecules.

Encounters, Now, Here

This section showcases collaborative research images and MPG’s Images of Science. Since signing an MoU in 2015, IBS and MPG have carried out numerous joint research projects, generating a rich archive of scientific imagery, which here is reinterpreted in an artistic context.

Resonance, N Futures

Reflecting on a decade of Art in Science and the science–art ecosystem that has developed in Korea, this section contemplates the resonance and significance of knowledge accumulated over time.

The opening ceremony will take place on November 26 (Wed.) at 2:00 PM at the IBS Science Culture Center Exhibition Hall and is open to all visitors. IBS researchers whose works appear in the exhibition will introduce their research and artistic processes, offering a vivid look into the stories behind their scientific discoveries.

Acting IBS President KIM Yeongduk remarked, “This exhibition showcases the depth of time that basic science builds under autonomy and long-term support. It is an opportunity to revisit the trajectory of discoveries made while exploring the unknown and to document a new encounter between science and art.”

Dr. Susanne KIEWITZ, lead curator of MPG’s Images of Science, added, “Scientific images are another language that reveals worlds once unseen. We hope this exhibition provides a unique visual experience that communicates the shared values of basic science pursued by our two institutions.”

The exhibition is free of charge, requires no reservation, and is open at the IBS Science Culture Center (1F) on weekdays 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, excluding public holidays.