Convergent Territories
Issue 3 July 2014
Under the Microscope
Rob Kesseler’s work bridges art and science. As well as working with ceramics he also works with photography and digital images. One theme linking his wide-ranging body of work is his overwhelming fascination with plant material and the natural world, particularly microscopic plant and cell structures.
Colliding Worlds
Arhtur I Miller is fascinated by the nature of creative thinking and, in particular, in creativity in art on the one hand, and science on the other. His latest book, ‘Colliding Worlds: How Cutting-Edge Science is Redefining Contemporary Art’, takes readers on a wild journey to explore a new frontier.In recent decades, an exciting new art movement has emerged in which artists illuminate the latest advances in science.
on Biomimicry
Janine Benyus is a biologist who works on the border between biology and design. Following her ground-breaking book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, she has become an award-winning innovation consultant, helping to create a more sustainable world by learning from the designs of nature. In this exclusive interview she discusses the ideas and work of Biomimicry, “the conscious emulation of life’s genius”. An idea that could change the way we think about sustainable design forever.
Marcel Duchamp and the Artist of Tomorrow
More than any other artist of the modern era, the work of Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) has shifted how art is understood. His views have altered not only the way art is made, but also the way it is presented to and experienced by the public, erasing the barrier between art and life, and integrating art into the real world. Jacquelynn Baas discusses his work and ideas in relation to contemporary artists.
Dialogue in art and science
“Dialogue is not to communicate. It is much deeper. It addresses the blocks in communication, not merely to understand them, but to meet them directly” (David Bohm). In this article, Marina Wallace, Director of Artakt, discusses the new art&science collaborations in the project MitoSys: Lens on Life.
on Experimental Philosophy
Experimental philosophy is an emerging field of philosophical inquiry that makes use of empirical data—often gathered through surveys which probe the intuitions of ordinary people—in order to inform research on philosophical questions. In this exclusive interview Joshua Knobe discusses this new and exciting philosophy, its scope and its limits, and whether or not it is an elephant.
Converging Territories
Lalla Essaydi, a Moroccan-born, Paris-trained artist, created the Converging Territories series as a means of examining the culture in which she grew up from the Western position she now occupies. “In my art, I wish to present myself through multiple lenses as artist, as Moroccan, as Saudi, as traditionalist, as liberal, as Muslim. In short, I invite viewers to resist stereotypes.”
Blurring Boundaries
Working at the forefront of art/science collaborative practice, Anna Dumitriu has a strong interest in the ethical issues raised by emerging technologies. Her installations, interventions and performances use a range of biological, digital, and traditional media including live bacteria, robotics, interactive media, and textiles. In this exclusive interview she discusses her ideas, work and future projects.
Poeisis
Much of the work of Susan Derges revolves around the creation of visual metaphors exploring the relationship between the self and nature. Recently she has begun working in the studio combining analog and digital techniques to create new forms and perspectives hitherto impossible to capture.
Do we have a creative intelligence?
“Rather than rely on our raw natural thinking processes, we can utilize disciplined and controlled thinking styles and tools that channel our thinking processes for enhancing creative thought”. Murray Hunter discusses creativity as an undervalued skill that anyone can cultivate, one that crosses disciplines.
The Chambered Nautilus
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (August 29, 1809 – October 7, 1894) was an American physician, poet, professor, lecturer, and author based in Boston.
Convergent Territories
The exotic forms and colours of the plant world and the way in which they migrate into every aspect of our lives has been a source of inspiration throughout Rob Kesseler’s artistic career. Here he discusses the possible convergent territories of art and science, and a definition of art for scientists.