On The Nature of Things is an art exhibit featuring works by Rina Yoon and Marsha McDonald. For the opening reception, we have invited regional writers to respond to the theme of the show.
The title is a nod to a philosophy that has emerged across cultures, that we are all made of the same atoms, atoms that philosophy describes as infinite in scale and indivisible.
The philosopher Lucretius wrote the poem, "De rerum natura" (translated as On the Nature of Things), which challenged the belief that gods controlled human fate. It did not challenge the existence of gods, but the notion that people should fear gods. It takes the future of humans out of the hands of the Fates, placing that future in humanity’s own hands. "De rerum natura" is just one exploration of an idea that has emerged across civilizations, one that reconnects us with a sense of place within the natural world when systems go out of balance.
The reading will conclude with talks by the artists on their artwork and the underlying philosophy behind the show.
