Alliances of Art and Science

From a sunny bench by a lake, I write this update. Somewhere near Karlsruhe. A few weeks ago, I discovered an exhibition. In an instant, I knew: I had to see it.

Why?

The exhibition is called Renaissance 3.0.

The exhibition is on show in ZKM. The Zentrum fur Kunst & Media has been on my radar for a long time, but this time, I couldn't wait. The exhibition closes in a few weeks.

The exhibition's self-description, "A Base Camp for New Alliances of Art and Science in the 21st Century," is a fancy way to introduce the show. The wall text at the entrance could have been included in this newsletter, as it tells an infectious story about the Italian Renaissance, the redefinition of science and knowledge, and the importance of the artist in our relationship to the world and nature.

The exhibition is a spatial one, divided into three rooms. There are many video projections as well as installations of biotech and fermentation experiments. In addition, there are interactive tech installations and a mini library in each room for further reading and studying.

I mihght tell you more about the exhibits later. For now, I want to share three thoughts with you. They are three arguments for why we need more cross-fertilization between art, science, and technology.

At the crossroads of Arts & Science, we can...

... see and understand the world in new ways.

The artists who are exhibited are all at a crossroads between art, science, and technology. Peter Weibel, the director of ZKM, speaks of the scientification of art: when the artist gets hold of the tools of the scientist, or when the scientist enters the artist's studio. This encounter helps to observe better, to see more, or to look differently.

A scientist is trained to analyze. To do this, it is helpful to isolate your study object. But from these scientific silos and disciplines, it is difficult to understand the meaning of your study. All too often we investigate details and components and lose sight of the bigger picture.

When a filmmaker looks at plankton through a microscope, you get a different picture. In this case, a colorful film that reads like an ode to life. My girlfriend and I were both moved to tears by its beauty. And then to know that these microorganisms process up to a quarter of the CO2 absorption on this planet.

At the crossroads of Arts & Science, we can...

... tell stories that connect.

In addition to being a base camp, the exhibition also wants to be a thought-provoking experience, to explore new ways of thinking. To new horizons of understanding.

The world of Arts & Science is striking in its use of its own language. On catalogs and wall texts, you will find terms like eco-social renewal, unconventional computing, techno-symbiosis, and the promiscuity of DNA. These often abstract (and yes, a bit high-brow) terms all point to the same thing: the interconnectedness of everything.

The artists and curators of the exhibition use their creativity and imagination to create images that help us to see the world in new ways. Their images remind us of the relationships between humans and nature, between nature and science, between society and machines, and between the private and public world.

While technology invests heavily in collecting our data, it excels in its absence in showing us the relationships between the data. For example, I cannot see, let alone understand, how Spotify's AI works. Yes, it tells me once a year how my listening behavior the past year have been (Spotify Wrapped). Last year I learned that I belong to the 0.1% top listeners of the platform this year, but I get 0% insight into how the app uses my data to curate music.

At the intersection of art and science, we can...

... imagine new possibilities.

This is not a call for artists to simply use more technology. It is a call for a more radical collaboration between the scientific and creative communities (designers, musicians, writers, sculptors, architects, copywriters, DJs...). The challenges we face today are too complex to be solved by either discipline alone. We need to find new ways of thinking about the world, and that is where artists and scientists can play a vital role. After all, it is the same scientific traditions and technological inventions that have caused many of the current challenges.

I also do not argue that humans need less technology. What we need is more imagination. We are dealing with a crisis of imagination about the future. Artists on the other hand are experts in imagination. They are able to see and show the world in new and unexpected ways. They are perspective challengers.

When artists and scientists work together, they can create new visions for the future. They can help us to see beyond the limitations of the present and imagine a world that is more equitable, sustainable, and more liveable.

A missed opportunity

It took us about 4 hours to see Renaissance 3.0. Even though they looked interesting, we left the other 4 exhibitions in the building untouched. Just to say, the ZKM is a big institution.

It was energising to stand at the crossroads of art, technology, and science for so long. But did I really have to drive 6 hours for that?

Yes, there are also organisations in Flanders that use the same interdisciplinary approach. Timelab in Ghent has been offering tools, time, and space for reflection on change for years. Gluon in Brussels focuses on the meeting between art & research. It was founded within iMinds (now imec). These organizations do great work. But they work from the margins of both the tech and culture industry. They have to fight for their own survival.

But as I drove back to Belgium, I couldn't help but think about the missed opportunity. Why doesn't Flanders have a similar institution? ZKM was founded in 1989! We could have done something similar in the aftermath of the original Flanders Technologie International events of the 1980s?

Today, Ghent, my hometown, wants to become the European Capital of Technology. Sounds nice, but we could have thought of that in 2010 as well. To me, it's the old way of thinking and doing.

What we need today is a look that looks further ahead. To a new narrative. From European Capital of Technology to Capital of Transition, Capital of Togetherness...

What do you think?

Deze nieuwsbrief in je mailbox krijgen.

In Nederlands?

Dat kan!

Inschrijven via Substack: https://fredodesmet.substack.com/