Recently in art + science Category

Here is a link to a brief Art 21 segment about Mark Dion's public ecological project in Seattle: http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/mark-dion

Also, here is a link to Mildred's Lane, Mark Dion's long-term project with (I believe his ex-wife) artist Morgan Puett. The two have created an art/life integrating "complex(ity)" in PA.

"Mildred's Lane [activates] connections that situate themselves at the nexus of science, methods of living, environmental activism, transhistorical and critical artistic practices. This unusual situation affords participants the ability to collaborate in the production of large-scale, socially charged, research- driven projects within a truly transdisciplinary environment. Woven into the project work is a curriculum based on creatively and experimentally living and working together - what we call workstyles. These valuable collaborations are designed to become shared experiences that hope to have transformative and lifelong effects on how artists think of themselves as practitioners functioning in the world."
Check out Mildred's Lane here: http://www.mildredslane.com/home#home

Here is a link to a brief Art 21 segment about Mark Dion's public ecological project in Seattle: http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/mark-dion

Also, here is a link to Mildred's Lane, Mark Dion's long-term project with (I believe his ex-wife) artist Morgan Puett. The two have created an art/life integrating "complex(ity)" in PA.

"Mildred's Lane [activates] connections that situate themselves at the nexus of science, methods of living, environmental activism, transhistorical and critical artistic practices. This unusual situation affords participants the ability to collaborate in the production of large-scale, socially charged, research- driven projects within a truly transdisciplinary environment. Woven into the project work is a curriculum based on creatively and experimentally living and working together - what we call workstyles. These valuable collaborations are designed to become shared experiences that hope to have transformative and lifelong effects on how artists think of themselves as practitioners functioning in the world."
Check out Mildred's Lane here: http://www.mildredslane.com/home#home

Carl Flink's presentation really captured my imagination. In a weird way, re-enacting the theoretical behavior of cell structures made me feel like I was given an opportunity to play Charles Wallace and visit with mitochondria. I also found it fascinating to consider the possibility that all biological bodies ultimately behave in exactly the same scientifically predictable way when restricted to decision-making based solely on instinct

I know this is kind of belated, but I wanted to post it anyway.

I was really excited about the idea that art is being taken so seriously in the science world - that is Carl's body storming having influence and having an impact in the way scientists can study their work. Not only does it help out the scientists, but it is also a great plug for the arts and how they aren't just ways of expressing one's self; art is a legitimate means to processing ideas, helping people progress, and influencing change in peoples' lives.

Hopefully Carl's work can be yet another stepping stone in the battle on the front of more equality for the arts in a world so heavily dominated by other, "more important" subjects.

Hannah S

One of the most interesting aspects of The Moving Cell was the fact that it started as a way for dancers to illustrate the all ready understood chaos of a cell. Thus, it seemed that when the project was originally conceived it was going to be used as a pedagogical tool to help others (especially nonscientists) understand activities within the cell. Very quickly, however, Dave and Carl's collaboration moved from simply communicating ideas to testing theories. As Carl described it, The Moving Cell has become a way to create predictions made under a microscope at the human level. It was amazing to see how dance and cellular biology could come together and create valuable research.

On another note, it was also refreshing to partake in an exercise that was based on making an instantaneous decision. As humans, I feel we often spend a great deal of our time just thinking about the decision we haven't even made yet and trying to predict what the outcome might be. It was a nice change of pace to simply think about the body in relation to speed and split second choices.

-Teréz

It was exciting to see a successful (academically) and mutually beneficial relationship between an artist and a scientist. A couple of thoughts that came out of this presentation for me:
1. Are dancers more in touch with physical manifestations of emotions and therefore less susceptible to psychological disorders that relate to pent-up emotions or aversion such as dissociative identity disorder? What research has been done in relation to dancers and their range of emotions/psychological states relative to that of the general population? It seems as though acting out violent movements, in spite of them not doing actual damage, would have significant impact on Carl's dancers.
2. If students in primary and secondary schools were to use dance as a mechanism for learning the way physical systems work (from biology to the function of a car engine) they might absorb the information in a more lasting way. Perhaps the learning-through-dance-movement technique could be studied and implemented. It certainly would be beneficial to get students moving around more during the school day. This also relates to what Carl said about conceptualizing movement. If we are only used to moving our fingers to give and receive information we will only think within these terms. If we expand our typical body use to broad gestures perhaps we will think more broadly as well...

Hunter Cole defines her work as "reinterpreting science as art". This raises a host of questions about the relationship of science and art, the long history of artists whose work engages science and its processes, technologies, insights, theories, histories, and cultural critique.

How do you view her work in the context of contemporary art?