Attention is Discovery: The Life and Legacy of Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt
by Anna Von Mertens
We are thrilled to announce the release of visual artist and author Anna Von Mertens new book – Attention Is Discovery: The Life and Legacy of Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt (MIT Press 2024), a recognition and celebration of the woman whose discovery founded modern cosmology and the power of attention in scientific observation, artistic creation, and the making of meaning. The book combines essays examining the revelations and relationships that emerged from Leavitt’s commitment to looking with a wealth of imagery: details of artworks the artist made in response to Leavitt’s legacy; examples of the glass plate photographs of the night sky Leavitt studied; and historic photos of the unique community of women, now known as the Harvard Computers, who worked at the Harvard College Observatory at the turn of the 20th century.
“Von Mertens chronicles the wondrous quest to understand the cosmos while also telling a fierce story of uncharted feminism. Bringing Leavitt’s unexamined work into focus in relation to the author’s own artistic practice makes for a riveting read.”
—Denise Markonish, Chief Curator, MASS MoCA
Find it at Amazon and also at The Toadstool Bookshop (signed copies available).
Excerpt published in The Boston Globe.
Review in Scientific American.
