Peter Forbes – Four Way Interview

Peter Forbes trained as a chemist and worked in pharmaceutical and natural history publishing. He became editor of the Poetry Society’s Poetry Review and has often worked on the crossover of art and science, mostly recently on bio-inspired materials and on camouflage. His most recent book is Dazzled and Deceived.

Why Science?

Because it’s the most intricately structured body of knowledge we have (besides music, that is).

Why this book?

The patterns of nature are thrilling in themselves as art and to find that many creatures copy other creatures’ patterns has always blown my mind.

What’s next?

No idea. I follow my nose but it hasn’t picked up a scent yet.

What’s exciting you at the moment?

It’s the harmonic progressions of jazz composers such as Horace Silver and Charles Mingus – flattened 5ths and 13th chords etc. That’s also science.

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