Exhibitions

Focus on Nature (FON) is an international, juried, biennial exhibition of scientific, natural and cultural history that began in 1990. A five-person jury consisting of both scientists and artists selects pieces based on high degree of technical quality, scientific accuracy, aesthetic achievement, and educational value. It represents a wide range of media, geographical locations and breadth of subject matter. FON XI includes the work of 73 artists from 13 countries.

The central purpose of Focus on Nature is to highlight illustration as a way of communicating observations of scientists and artists. Scientific discovery and illustration have always been linked, and they have advanced together. At the New York State Museum, this research tradition extends back to the founding of the State Geological and Natural History Survey in 1836. Illustrations have constantly been a part of the effort to communicate the results of these studies.