The cabaret comes to Amherst (the Science & Art Cabaret, that is)

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Science & Art Cabaret, which features entertaining talks by leading artists and scientists, will travel to the Space Lab Planetarium at Williamsville North High School on the evening of Feb. 12.

The cabaret, held several times a year, will focus this time on the theme “Terra Cognita” — the known and mapped universe. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.

Presenters include:

• Adele Henderson, artist and University at Buffalo professor of visual studies, who will present on “Accidental tourism and the persistence of maps.”
• Mark Percy, Space Lab Planetarium director, who will speak on “The planetarium of the 21st century as an immersive visualization environment.” His presentation is expected to include a demonstration of the planetarium’s many capabilities.
• Will Kinney, University at Buffalo associate professor of physics, who will deliver a talk titled “Inside a map of the universe.”

The event will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Williamsville Space Lab Planetarium at Williamsville North High School, 1595 Hopkins Road, Amherst.

The Science & Art Cabaret is a collaboration between the UB College of Arts and Sciences, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center and the Buffalo Museum of Science.

At each event, a mix of artists and researchers share stories, discussing how a common theme relates to their work. Meant for a general audience, the talks are both enlightening and entertaining. Past cabaret topics have ranged from time and relativity to failure and “the end of the universe and the future of life.”

The cabaret’s usual home is the Ninth Ward at Babeville, a basement club in Buffalo. But the event travels to other venues for special presentations — like Percy’s forthcoming planetarium talk.