For our 12th Laser Talk on Thursday 9 November we are happy to collaborate with MAXlab at the Royal Academy of Antwerp. The concept of Restoring the Human Element – The Power of Transdisciplinary Collaboration between Arts, Science and Technology was proposed by Kristof Timmermans who organizes the MAXlab together with Professor Ronny Blust.
The current state of our society is a product of the technological developments that originated in the second half of the past century. These accelerating technological innovations have shaped our way of life profoundly. From the advent of computers and the internet to the rise of automation and mass production, these developments have revolutionized various aspects of our lives. However, the rapid pace of progress often overshadowed the long-term implications, leading to unintended consequences such as environmental degradation, social inequalities, and the erosion of human connection. Blinded and propelled by the promises of technological progress we have often overlooked as well the human factor as the ecological consequences.
Can the arts play a role in rectifying this imbalance by reintroducing the human and environmental element as the center of scientific and technological advancements? As we grapple with the challenges of today, such as the ecological crisis and societal imbalances, transdisciplinary collaboration becomes imperative. By integrating the arts, technology, and science, we can reimagine our future and create a society that harmoniously considers the human experience, the ecological well-being, and the technological advancements. Transdisciplinary collaboration serves as a powerful catalyst for addressing the challenges posed by our technological legacy. By bringing together artists, scientists, technologists, and ecologists, we can bridge the gaps between disciplines and foster a holistic approach to problem-solving. Through collaboration, we can pool diverse perspectives, knowledge, and experiences to create innovative solutions that address the human, ecological, and technological dimensions of contemporary challenges.
SPEAKERS BIOS
Ronny BLUST is Professor of Ecophilosophy and Ecotoxicology at the Department of Biology at the University of Antwerp. His research is focussed amongst others on environmental chemistry, ecology and bioaccumulation. His environmental chemistry research integrates issues from pollution, bioavailability and surface water. His ecology research is multidisciplinary, incorporating perspectives in zoology and animal science. https://research.com/u/ronny-blust
Marjolijn DIJKMAN is an artist, researcher, and co-founder of Enough Room for Space, based in Brussels. Her works, that have been shown worldwide, can be seen as a form of science–fiction, partly based on facts and research but often brought into the realm of fiction, abstraction, and speculation. Enough Room for Space initiates long-term experimental research projects, challenging the barriers between disciplines (artistic, scientific, or activist). She is currently a Ph.D. candidate as part of the artistic research cluster Deep Histories Fragile Memories at LUCA – School of Arts Brussels / Leuven University until 2027. https://www.marjolijndijkman.com
Eva-Maria LOPEZ – is a multidisciplinary artist based in Karlsruhe and Paris. After receiving the master’s degree in agriculture, she studied art at the Academy of Fine Art in Karlsruhe, Germany. Due to this background, issues relating to nature and environment have an important impact on her art. Working with the themes of nature, ecology and their historical contexts, she explores the relationship between object and environment. Her sensitivity to the destruction of natural habitats and resources, as well as socially anchored structures in contemporary societies, is highly visible. In her work, Lopez places various realities in new contexts and thereby makes them visible. Her work is shown internationally in shows and on art & science conferences; she is key founder of NAIA (Naturally and Artificially Intelligence Art association) in Karlsruhe. http://www.evalopez.net/index.
Frank THEYS – artist and researcher based in Brussels and Amsterdam. In 2006 he collaborated with Michel Bauwens to create the three-part documentary film TechnoCalyps and the author of TechnoCalyps which delves into the scientific, ethical and metaphysical dimensions of technological development.Genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence, bionics and nanotechnology have mankind transcending human limits. https://franktheys.net
Dr. Florian ZANATTA is based in Liège and working on biogeography and urban ecology. He focused his research on developing ecological niche models to explore bryophytes migration capacity, integrating wind dispersal simulations, in the context of climate changes. Later he worked at Meise Botanic Garden, mainly on bryophytes spores morphological variations using SEM photography and morphometric analysis. He co-founded lacYme, a collaborative urban ecology lab which develops science communication and citizen-science-based research projects and activities combining scientific, historic and artistic approaches. lacyme.org
Co-organiser for this talk Kristof TIMMERMAN is a designer and director of digital performances and installations, working in the field of live, interactive digital environments and virtual reality. He is the chair and coordinator of MAXlab, the research group on the interaction between art and digital technology at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. He is involved as promoter and researcher in several research projects on virtual and augmented reality, mostly in a multidisciplinary context, and is currently working on his doctoral research ‘Sense of Wonder. Artistic portals between the real and the virtual’. www.kristoftimmerman.com
When
November 9th, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Location
Royal Academy of Antwerpen – De Lange Zaal
Blindestraat 35
2000 Antwerp
Belgium
SPONSORS and PARTNERS
https://www.ap-arts.be/academie
http://www.cyland.org/lab(link is external)(link is external)
ADEM vzw/asbl
http://ademlabo.eu/laser_fr.html(link is external)
FÉDÉRATION WALLONIE-BRUXELLES
LASER TALKS Brussels are curated by Alexandra DEMENTIEVA in collaboration with Edith DOOVE as moderator.
Alexandra Dementieva is a multimedia artist, based in Brussels. The idea of interaction between the viewer and an artwork, mediated by technologically progressive visualization methods, lies at the core of her work. In her installations she uses various art forms on an equal basis: dance, music, cinema and performance. https://alexdementieva.org/
Edith Doove (PhD) is a curator, writer and researcher, specifically interested in notions of emergence and contingency, cross and transdisciplinary collaborations. She holds a PhD as member of Transtechnology Research at Plymouth University where she is a postdoctoral advisor. Since 2018 she lives and works in France, currently in Rouen where she teaches at ESADHaR (École supérieure d’art et design Le Havre Rouen). She was the curator visual arts for the arts festival Watou in 2023 and currently prepares an exhibition and publication on the Research Group and their influence on art education for the Stadsmuseum and PXL School of Arts in Hasselt (autumn 2024).
The Leonardo/ISAST LASERs are a program of international gatherings that bring artists, scientists, humanists and technologists together for informal presentations, performances and conversations with the wider public. The mission of the LASERs is to encourage contribution to the cultural environment of a region by fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and opportunities for community building to over 50 cities around the world. To learn more about how our LASER Hosts and to visit a LASER near you please visit our website.
@lasertalks
Featured image – Frank THEYS from Technolabs, 2006
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