While in  New Haven, catch another exceptional exhibition, this one across the street from the Yale Museum of Art, at the Yale Center for British Art. While the former focuses on Picasso, the latter has a remarkable and unforgettable exhibition called “Endless Forms”: Charles Darwin, Natural Science and the Visual Arts. This is one of those exhibits that will blow you away. Detailing some of the most important Darwin theories, expect to find seascapes and marine  paintings, florals, and sculpture and  artwork from collections from other major museums and galleries. Some of the artists included in this exhibition are Turner, Church and the French Impressionists. What is so fascinating is the way fine art is presented side by side with scientific material, from geological maps to diagrams and specimens.
“Endless Forms” is arranged in a sequence of seven thematic sections and they are extensive. The first is “Darwin’s Eye” and this section shows the traditions of natural history and his early influences. The next section is “The History of the Earth” which features landscapes and scenes of prehistoric images. “The History of the Earth” is a natural progression to subjects Darwin immersed himself in including geology and paleontology.
“The Struggle For Existence” is described as “reflecting Darwin’s vision of the ruthless conflict among species that led to ‘natural selection’ or ‘the survival of the fittest.’” This is logically followed by “Animal Kin” which presents the implications of evolution. “Images of apes and monkeys reveal the dilemma arising from Darwin’s ideas…”
“The Descent of Humankind” examines artistic responses to evolution while “Darwin, Beauty, and Sexual Selection is quite astounding in the video featuring the mating of feathered species. “Darwin and Impressionism” wraps up the sections and features a radical interpretation of a dancer that was described as “ugly and even bestial” in 1881 when it was first exhibited.
Whether you are into the natural sciences or fine art, this exhibition is fusion of two worlds connected by history. This exhibit runs through May 3. The Yale Center for British Art is located at 1080 Chapel Street, New Haven.