Liquid crystals are beautiful to study, foremost in the polarizing microscope. To promote the sharing of this beauty, the ILCS features a continuously on-going monthly liquid crystal art contest. Each month, the most striking liquid crystal-related picture submitted to us is selected to be specially featured on the ILCS website.

You are encouraged to send us your picture for consideration. If your contribution is selected it will be presented throughout the following month together with explanatory information on the Featured Art of the month page as well as on the home page of the ILCS website. In addition, you and your research will be also presented. Afterward, your picture is transferred to the ILCS art gallery where our visitors can enjoy it also in the future. If your contribution is not selected immediately, it will remain in competition for the following months.

Current Jury

The ILCS Featured Liquid Crystal Art of the Month is selected by a very small jury, just one or two people. In 2025 Doctor Surajit Dhara at the School of Physics, University of Hyderabad - India, will do the selections. A new selection is done five days before the end of every month, such that the new Featured Liquid Crystal Art of the Month page can be prepared in time for the start of the month in which they apply.

Surajit Dhara obtained his Ph.D. from the Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. He is currently a Professor at the School of Physics, University of Hyderabad. His research interests include optical control and manipulation of topological defects in liquid crystals, elasticity and defect-mediated directed assembly of colloids, active matter, rheology of complex fluids, and photonics of soft materials.