The Science of Swing

When I was studying Economics, I realized that it is not a science in the same way as, say, Physics. Its theories depend on assumptions about how people and systems behave that ultimately cannot be separated from politics. I was dissatisfied with such subjective criteria for truth, so I turned to the more quantitative field of econometrics. Later, while political events were changing my life and the lives of millions of others, I searched for beauty in the truth of a simple mathematical theory or algorithm by taking refuge in computer science. Truth and certainty kept me grounded.

Eventually, I realized the limits of this way of seeing the world. Our experiences have objective causes but our subjective impressions form the essence of our view of reality.

These thoughts came to me as I reflected on Swing in the Spring, the Chez Mana event that took place on May 14th. The gathering brought together a fascinating variety of talents and perspectives. We had a sculptor, painters, skilled dancers, beautiful singers and wonderful musicians from every corner of the world, representing many artistic influences, cultures, and traditions.

The audience too was varied and accomplished. The full room included leading researchers and entrepreneurs. The energy in the room was high, and it was exhilarating to participate in the interactions of so many different elements. Noam Eisen’s swing quintet, with vocalist Ariel Eisen, had the additional singing talents of Shannon Wolfe and Jonathan Poretz.

While they performed lively swing music, the dancers showcased their skills and helped those who were not at ease to become more courageous.

Every table was decorated with the art work of Salma Arastu, and the paintings of Jeremy Sutton and Vannina Malekzadeh were displayed on all sides. As the guests ate, danced and discussed, they too became a part of the performance. The whole assembly became an organic whole bigger than the sum of its parts.

Swing in the Spring was driven by my vision of the creative possibilities that can arise from bringing together the right set of artistic elements in the proper setting. Finding the connection between different artists and the realities they want to communicate is similar to a methodically scientific search. As Caltech professor Matilde Marcolli remarks “one of the most exciting things in science is seeing unexpected connections between different things. At any given time you are just looking at a very small detail of this great big picture, and you try to connect as many dots as you can.” The intuition that lets us find these unexpected connections is based on objective analysis but is represented very subjectively. The abstract world of paintings and music is not much different from the abstract world of mathematics. Each is a search for beauty expressed in the creation of theories that represent the common properties between its elements and their relationships.

One small area of the room showcased artworks by the talented Canadian painter, Sophie Lambert. Lambert’s work is characterized by bold use of color and most often depicts scenes of nature with great intensity. Her style is influenced by Turner, Thomson, and Monet among others. She has received many prizes and accolades. There will be an extensive exhibition of her work on June 18th. Further details will be forthcoming in the next week.

A final note on the wonderful artist behind most of the photos of the event. They were taken by Peggy Gyulai. She is a a San Francisco-based artist who has received many awards for her paintings and drawings.