Scientific illustration is a specialized field that, by its nature, requires collaboration across various branches of science.
The EntomolArt Exhibition Project consists of works resulting from an interdisciplinary production process developed and finalized through the collaboration of two distinct fields. It was carried out under the academic consultancy of Prof. Dr. Mahmut Kabalak, Deputy Director of the Hacettepe University Biosphere Museum, and coordinated by Prof. Dr. Banu Bulduk Türkmen, faculty member in the Department of Graphic Arts at Hacettepe University Faculty of Fine Arts.
The exhibition aims to make the morphology, behaviors, and ecological roles of insects more comprehensible through the integration of art and science. Insects selected from the museum’s collections were studied in an interdisciplinary framework, and following processes of observation, examination, and artistic interpretation, were illustrated using scientifically validated methods based on empirical data.
A total of 19 works by 17 artists are featured in the exhibition. Each piece explores the morphology, life cycle, movement mechanisms, behavior, and ecological contexts of 19 distinct insect species, processed and portrayed with scientific accuracy. Each artist focused on a single insect, emphasizing its anatomy and movement mechanism. The artworks were completed through a process beginning with microscopic observation, followed by imaging and documentation. In addition to showcasing morphological diversity, the exhibition also touches upon the ecological functions of insects and their roles in applied fields such as forensic entomology.
At the core of the project lies the fusion of entomological science with the expressive power of illustration, a key area of graphic design. The resulting original artworks accurately depict insect morphology, behavior, and their roles in nature. All illustrations in the exhibition are scientific visualizations based on observation, precise measurement, and taxonomic accuracy. The project seeks to convey scientific knowledge to the public in a more accessible and engaging way by emphasizing entomological diversity.
A selection of the exhibited works will remain on permanent display in the Entomology Department of the Biosphere Museum.
For more information about the exhibition and the Scientific Illustration Research and Application Group, please visit the Instagram account: @bilimselillustrasyon.proje and the website: http://www.bilimselillustrasyon.com.
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