[-empyre-] questions for Brian and Luigi

["Raquel Renno" <raquel@influenza.etc.br>]

quoting Brian:
In contrast, science gives art a bit more rigour and honesty, 
> which is important in the age of conceptual art. Often times, 
> it is too easy to tear apart a conceptual piece that doesn't 
> have enough depth or thoroughness in the idea because the 
> artist wasn't properly exposed to the issues through a domain 
> expert. As our culture continues to integrate more deeply 
> with technology, the artist must stay at the front in order 
> to continue exploring and asking difficult questions. But in 
> order to ask the right questions, they need to tap into some 
> of the rigour and domain knowledge that scientists posess.


I completely agree with you, but I think this is a problem that can touch any kind of art. it's clear to us all how the relation between art and science is an issue that cannot be ignored, but the same market that hasput in evidence superficial art pieces (since we cannot ignore that there are rigour and honesty in many artistc analysis since art is also part of an academic area and there are also many art specialists who are doing a very important work in decades) is the same market who is using art and science as a "new trend", exhibiting pieces where both art and science are stereotyped.  

quoting Luigi
<Is it?
I don't see many scientists when walking in art galleries as well as I can
hardly spot artists in conferences and congresses! : )
Unfortunately, I guess that the concept of "symbiosis" and of "relationship"
implies a physical proximity, which is not in there.
Don't you think so?
Could it be called something different? 
Coexistence, for example?
I think that the "soul" of our discussion (the interest and motivation
behind us writing lines right here!) is to be found in the partially strange
opening of the two communities to each others.
I can hardly find places like this: where an engineer disserts about art.
Indeed, I must confess that when running classes at the engineering
department in Odense I'm better off if I don't introduce the concept of
aesthetic, :), and vice versa when running lectures at the academy of fine
arts in Rome, I'd better not to ask about functionality! :)
Further, when, few times (experientia magister vitae), I've even tried to
convince my alumni that they might be the very same thing, I've got toughly
attacked...

There's a gap,I must agree, but I think art galleries don't represent the whole artistic scene. As José Luis Brea pointed out, digital art (as I think we're focusing in much part digital technologies in our discussion) needs galleries as much MP3 needs records stores. If we think about digital art in general, there are festivals and seminars where we can find what has been explored in art, technology and  Anyway, there are art conferences and congresses  where we find projects presented by groups of artists and scientists and where the discussion is very fruitful. I'm not trying to say that is an easy task, but there are some very important things happening. They are the result of the research of people who are envolved in transdisciplinary approaches and cannot deal with the gallery/lab division. Your own project (Peam http://www.artificialia.com/peam2005/ ) as many of the projects developed by guests and empyre members,  would be a good example  of  it.

Regards,

Raquel