Our Logo 

The original SBIC logo depicted a renaissance in inorganic chemistry, through its impact on modern biology, as illustrated by the Italian renaissance painting The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli. Venus, representing the life force, is depicted as rising from the sea, the origin of life to which the inorganic elements were essential. The Botticelli Venus was adopted as the SBIC logo after it first appeared on the cover of R.J.P. (Bob) William’s landmark textbook “The Natural Selection of the Chemical Elements”. 

 

In 2019 Mary O’Reilly from O’Reilly Science Art was commissioned to design a more contemporary logo around the Society's motto "Bringing Inorganic Chemistry to Life", while retaining the spirit of the Botticelli logo, which emphasised the importance of synergism between science and art that sustains creativity and enriches civilization.  The new logo is an homage to the original SBIC logo. The Venus life force is now replaced by a tree that has its roots extending into the periodic table, reaching all of the elements.  To represent the broad scientific interests of our members, it features images representing a metalloprotein, photosynthesis and metals in biology with the tree roots also depicting a dendritic cell.