Art in la Doua exhibition

by charge.communication · Published 25 February 2025 · Updated 25 February 2025

“The art of science: revealing the hidden beauty of knowledge”

The first edition of Art in la Doua, a scientific and artistic exhibition, is currently being held at the Marie Curie Library at INSA Lyon, on the La Doua campus, from 3 to 28 February 2025.

Among the 33 works selected are those by two of our doctoral students (ING team) :

* Andrea Merlo as part of the project EQATOR,

Andrea Merlo in front of his work
Hidden Flames: The Burning Heart of Matter
Image © Riddhi Kumari

Scientific description:
“Hidden Flames: The Burning, Heart of Matter” shows the transfer of heat within a material, silicon carbide wafers, heated by microwaves to 900°C. On the left, the image shows the material illuminated by red light, representing the heat radiated by the wafers and highlighting the accumulated thermal energy. On the right, the false-colour thermal image shows the heat distribution: the hottest areas are coloured yellow and red (900°C), while the coldest areas are coloured blue (400°C). Microwave heating, in this case, generates rapid and uniform heating within the material, making the process more efficient than traditional methods. The image clearly shows how the heat propagates through the silicon carbide, highlighting the heat flow from the hot core of the material outwards. This type of heating has important applications in sectors that require precise and controlled energy distribution, such as advanced materials processing and industrial synthesis.
Artistic description:
“Hidden Flames: The Burning Heart of Matter” reveals what the naked eye cannot see: the hidden energy that circulates in matter. On the left, we can only see part of the story: a red light that comes from deep within matter, like the flames of a volcano. But if we widen our perspective, a world opens up to us: the vibrant colours represent the energy that spreads from the core to the surface, making the burning heart of each tablet visible. The image invites us to look beyond appearances, showing how matter, even in its immobility, is filled with an invisible but ever-present force: heat.

* Emilien Chaigne-Tarlotin with the video “When fire meets water 2”
When a Ruthenium complex (Ru(bpy)₃Cl₂) is irradiated with a UV lamp we observe a fluorescence phenomenon. This fluorescence turns the complex, wich is usually red, into a very bright orange colour. This complex is used in photocatalysis as a photosensitiser, for example to transform CO₂ into formic acid.