INSpiREzine is the webzine derivative of Better Than Pi - a collaborative arts & science magazine. The arts and sciences are avatars of human creativity.
– Mae Jemison
One of the most innate needs of humans is to understand the world around us. Throughout history, the arts and sciences have developed as means for us to understand and describe our ever changing world. Though seemingly very differe
nt at first, the arts and sciences actually share common traditions and a common trajectory towards intellectual advancement and creativity. Through verse, colour or other expressive mediums, artists intuitively capture the moments and meanings of life. Scientists try to logically express the realities of life through investigation and evidence and are often compelled to “create” new science to solve more complex problems. Scientists, like artists, not only interpret, express and create as a means to understand and describe the world as it is … but also to dream of the world as it could be…
In 2017, INSpiRED by mathematician-artist, Eugenia Cheng’s book, “How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics”, I decided to further explore the relationships between math and art in the ever evolving world around myself. What started out as a school project metamorphosized into BetterThanPi – an online platform upon which to explore and highlight the unique yet interdependent facets of the brain: right vs left – art & creativity vs science & logic. INSpiREzine is the webzine derivative of BetterThanPi. Each issue explores a singular topic from both an artistic and scientific viewpoint. Or are you a scientist? Contrary to conventional thinking, none of us are all of one and none of the other. Each of us are unique and varied mixes of skills and expressive inclinations. Personally, I like to think that I am a healthy blend of both. I love math. I love art. I certainly hope that you do too!
– Rowan Parkinson,
Founding Editor, 2018
