Currently on view at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is an exhibition that chronicles the legacy of 20th century icon Albert Einstein. Synonymous with genius, the German-born physicist was propelled to world fame after a solar eclipse in 1919 provided proof to his general theory of relativity. To this day, his scientific propositions are considered fundamental to our understanding of the material universe. Beneath such far-reaching fame, however, lesser known is the man’s complex life journey as a thinker, lover, teacher and activist at a time of tremendous social and political upheaval.
Albert Einstein: Life in 4 Dimensions features a generous selection of memorabilia from the Einstein Archive of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, including written correspondences, a book collection, newspaper clippings and awards that offer an intimate glimpse into the public and private life of the science legend.
Highlights of the exhibition include The Zurich Notebook, which reveals Einstein’s struggling calculations as he worked towards the formula for relativity; hand-written correspondences between Einstein and Sigmund Freud concerning the nature of warfare; a loose page of Einstein’s theories salvaged from Nazi book burnings; and the Nobel Prize medal awarded to the scientist in 1921.
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“Through this exhibit, viewers can discover more than just Einstein’s scientific prowess, but also his humanitarian spirit,” says Hanoch Gutfreud, Academic Chair of the Einstein Archives.
Taipei is the first stop of the archive’s tour through Asia, which will be followed by scheduled stops in China and Japan.
The exhibition is divided into four sections, detailing Einstein’s academic progression, personal relationships, search for faith and his eventual migration to America. His writings on science and religion reveal an interdependent connection between his spiritual views and scientific knowledge.
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Believing in a spirituality that is based on reason, Einstein famously said: “I maintain that the cosmic religious feeling is the strongest and noblest motive for scientific research … [I]t is the most important function of art and science to awaken this feeling and keep it alive in those who are receptive to it.”
While celebrating the scientist as a natural inquisitor of universal truths, the exhibition largely avoids the more controversial aspects of Einstein’s character.
A gallery showcasing memorabilia of his personal life includes documents pertaining to his multiple affairs, while an account of his first marriage mentions his first-born child as an unresolved mystery.
The exhibition also examines Einstein’s contributions to America’s development of the atomic bomb. Einstein wrote to then-US President Franklin Roosevelt expressing concern that Germany was developing atomic weaponry in 1939, but later disapproved of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in 1945. Alongside his writings concerning war and peace, the exhibition displays a letter to Einstein from a Japanese magazine editor, who addresses Einstein with a series of questions that still resonate today:
“What are your reactions when seeing the photographic reproductions showing the destructive effects of atomic bombs?” “Why did you cooperate in the production of atomic bombs, knowing full well their such destructive power?”
In addition to the memorabilia, the show also features three interactive games developed collaboratively by National Tsing Hua University, the Astronomical Society of the Republic of China and Scientific American.
These exercises attempt to illustrate some of Einstein’s famous theories regarding space and time.
In one room, a grid projected on the floor changes shape according to the visitor’s position. In another room, visitors ride on bicycles while watching an animated film of outer space; the speed with which they crank the pedal affects the size of passing meteors in the film. Although these games try to make Einstein’s advanced ideas more accessible and fun, their virtual nature makes it difficult for the viewer to take away any profound understanding of the material world and the theories that underpin Einstein’s significance as a thinker.
Overall, Albert Einstein: Life in 4 Dimensions is an exhibition of high scholarly merit that offers a holistic portrait of Einstein without endangering his legacy.
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