The Connections in Space website examines the connections between artistic and scientific representations of space, where 'space' is interpreted in the broadest possible sense. The project is a collaboration between the physicist and software author Nick Mee, the astrophysicist and mathematician Prof. John Barrow, the historian of science and art Prof. Martin Kemp and the artist Richard Bright. The project received its initial funding from the SciArt consortium in 2000. Further development has been funded by the Gruber Foundation, NESTA, the Millennium Mathematics Project and PPARC.

The software is built around a user interface that is based on an adaptation of the London Underground Map. The underground map, originally designed by Harry Beck, was inspired by electrical circuit diagrams and is regarded as a classic piece of design. Furthermore, the map is topological rather than metrical, as it is the connections between stations that matter rather than the distance between them. The map is a great example of the influence of science on art and design.

The software uses each line to represent a theme and each station to represent a topic related to the theme on which it is situated. Where a station is a junction on two lines, it’s topic relates to the themes of both lines. The opening screen of the program shows a map of the lines with all the junction stations indicated. Clicking a station or its name brings up the page corresponding to that station. Clicking onto a theme will list all the stations (topics) to be found in that theme. There are a total of 57 stations, with names such as: Penrose Tiles, Fractals, Anamorphosis and Curved Space, featuring artworks ranging from Leonardo's 'Mona Lisa' to the exotic millinery of Pip Hackett.

As you move around the site, each page indicates the station name and the next and previous stations along the line on the navigation bar near the top left of the screen.

We hope you enjoy exploring!