Sunday, May 28, 2017

Re: [Yasmin_discussions] art*science 2017 - The New and History

Dear Liliane


> I would like to add that there are serious differences between scientific
> practice and art practice.


Just to make it clear, again: I did not suggest anywhere that art and
science are (or should be) the same.

On the opposite, I have constantly stated how the value derives from the
fact that they are different, and that they should operate as peers, each
maintaining their roles, specificities, attitudes, etc, but not aiming at
subjugating one another.

In our culture, in anycase, art is practiced by individuals and, at its
> best, it is very much related to that individual's psyche, vision and
> experience. Yes, artists also observe the work of other artists and may
> choose to work in possibly unexplored are least areas. But that is not all
> that common and certainly not the main driving force behind an artistic
> practice.
>

I also point in the direction of exploring the transformations which are
brought on cultures and psyches when creativity becomes such an ubiquitous,
diffused, recombinant phenomenon. When "platforms" enter the scene, and
data-driven software agencies start having such a big impact on how we
(may or may not) perceive, perform and transform the world, individually
and as a society, I start having a very big difficulty understanding Art as
a practice of the individual. It was also true before, to an extent, but
now it becomes a truly problematic issue.

My idea is that we can positively construct on this.

To positively construct on this, we need arts, sciences, technologies and
wide, inclusive, active, engagement of a multiplicity of different types of
subjects, such as researchers, artists, designers, engineers, politicians,
children, elderly etc.

Arts, for this, can be a great catalyzer.

For this I have no problem in conceiving initiatives which include, at the
same time, scientific research, technological innovation, art and societal
engagement, as a whole, in coordinated, cooperative, interweaved,
interactive ways. They require different types of subjects and
organizations, coordinated and cooperating in positive, constructive ways.
And as peers. Which does not absolutely mean that the artist must act as
the scientist. It means that they participate to the discussion as peers,
each with their own type of contribution.

In our recent BodyQuake project, dealing with epilepsy, arts were used to
create innovative visualizations which were used by scientists, and at the
same time sciences were used to create the apparatus needed for an art
performance. It was not 2 separated processes: it was the same process in
which 2 methods, techniques, tools etc implemented a single process which
produced at the same time an artwork, a scientific/technological innovation
and a social innovation process in which social engagement to a serious
condition such as epilepsy is developed culturally and technically.

Is this clearer now?
I hope so, because it feels like we're stuck on an issue which I, on the
one hand, never supported and, you, on the other hand, misinterpreted (or I
mis-expressed, which is entirely possible, of course)

(and, in the meanwhile, loosing touch with the important topics which were
addressed in this discussion's introduction, and which have been addressed
in other threads, which I am now starting to focus on again, to try to
contribute to them not remaining unaddressed)

Cheers!
Salvatore


--
*[**MUTATION**]* *Art is Open Source *- http://www.artisopensource.net
*[**CITIES**]* *Human Ecosystems Relazioni* - http://he-r.i
<http://human-ecosystems.com/>t
*[**NEAR FUTURE DESIGN**]* *Nefula Ltd* - http://www.nefula.com
*[**RIGHTS**]* *Ubiquitous Commons *- http://www.ubiquitouscommons.org
---
Professor of Near Future and Transmedia Design at ISIA Design Florence:
http://www.isiadesign.fi.it/
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