Nice to hear from you. I cannot answer your questions right now about the
Common Room but will do it with pleasure one day. All the material relating
to the Common Room is in the Themerson Archive and there is a good account
of the events. Paul Braffort has lectured about Stefan Themerson and the
Common Room and I asked him to send you and Roger Malina his paper.
With best wishes for now
Jasia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Frieder Nake" <nake@informatik.uni-bremen.de>
To: <yasmin_discussions@estia.media.uoa.gr>
Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2009 7:27 PM
Subject: [Yasmin_discussions] One Two Three or More Cultures
> Dear Jasia,
>
> I cannot remember when in my life I for the first time heard anything
> about the Two Cultures, of Snow origin.
> Whwnever and wherever it may have been, my bet is: Stuttgart and Max
> Bense. He was, of course, thrilled by the text of the paper and talk,
> and the discussion that emerged from it. It probably was that
> two-cultures debate that he told his audience about.
>
> A later edition of the original speech, Snow's later second thoughts,
> and much from the international debate was published in German out
> of Stuttgart (Helmut Kreuzer as editor).
>
> What I do remember, however, is that ever since this debate has been
> on my mind. Ihave refered to it in countless talks and lectures. In a
> superficial way, I am afraid, and without understanding it well
> enough.
>
> As it happens, I have just returned on this Saturday evening to my
> university office from a course on Processing that went through the
> entire day, and will continue tomorrow, Sunday. I am offering it at
> the School of Art and Design here in Bremen. Participants are
> registered in the Masters' and Bachelors' programme in Digital Media.
> At least 50 % of them are international students, the rest are
> Germans. There was an opportunity today to briefly refer to Snow.
>
> The artist, this remark of mine claimed in an exaggeration, does what
> he wants to do and comes up with a personal statement that, in
> principle, is of no interest to anyone in the world. The scientist,
> the coarse statement continued, does what is needed in the context of
> his particular little aspect when observing the world, and he or she
> comes up with a result of general validity. This generality is, of
> course, of a relative nature only, and there is more subjectivism to
> the result than we usually think. Nevertheless: singular and
> particular vs. encompassing and general.
>
> Your story of Snow, Themerson, and that Common Room is marvellous. I
> had never heard of it. Did C.P. Snow come there? Was it a British
> institution or did visitors from abroad come and join? Did artist
> enter the room? Is anything known of controversies that happened
> there?
>
> Thank you for telling us, dear Jasia.
>
> Frieder Nake
> --
>
> Prof. Dr. Frieder Nake
> Informatik, University of Bremen, PO Box 330440, D-28334 Bremen, Germany
> or: University of the Arts, Am Speicher XI 8, D-28217 Bremen
> http://www.compart.informatik.uni-bremen.de
> (for parcels use: FB 3, University of Bremen, Bibliothekstrasse,
> D-28359 Bremen, Germany)
> fon +49-421-218 3525 or +49-421-9595 1267 fax +49-421-218 4322
> nake@informatik.uni-bremen.de
>
> -------------------------------
>
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