Grand Tour art exhibition to showcase York's science and innovation expertise

The York Science and Innovation Grand Tour is a take-off of the Grand Tour which saw 49 reproductions of paintings from the National Gallery and York Art Gallery hung around the city.

University of York Professor Tony Robards’ idea will use appealing images of science and technology to tell the story of York’s contribution to the sciences.

Prof Robards said the images would have to look “stunning” and be about York, such as the above images from the University of York, which include, from left, Adam Middleton, Peter O’Toole and Chris Elliott’s study of the nerves and jumping muscles of fruit fly; a 3D structure of a viral portal protein from Andrey Lebedev and Fred Antson’s research into DNA; Roger Sturmey, Peter O’Toole and Henry Leese’s study of sperm and Prof John Goodby’s smectic liquid crystal, used for data storage devices and billboard displays.

The tour may also include video projections, he said.

Each picture will have a QR code, a cube, which acts like a barcode for mobile devices, which means visitors with smart phones can scan the QR code for further details on the project illustrated.

Prof Robards said he hoped to collate about 80 images to put up around the city so they could create tours for school children, or on specific themes.

Partners involved in the tour, including the University of York, York St John University, Science City York, City of York Council and Visit York, have established a limited company to hold the event.

Organisers hope to raise £150,000 in sponsorship, including applying for funds from the Government’s Technology Strategy Board.

The tour, which will take place from the end of May to the end of August 2012, has already captured people’s imagination, said Prof Robards.

He said: “When I thought about Venturefest there were about 12 people that thought it had legs, and so far everybody we have spoken to about this project has said ‘wow’.

“We are promoting York unashamedly and exclusively and celebrating York’s contribution from the past and from today to inspire passion and ambition in local regional, national and international audiences.”