At 10:32 AM 8/29/01 +0200, you wrote:
>It is interesting to note that the journal Nature has a section for art
>in science / science in art. I wonder how many art journals have that?
Leonardo magazine has been around for many years. It's excellent. Nature
tends approaches art and science in a more traditional way.
>The renaissance involved trying to create something new that unified the
>old knowledge with the new scientific/economic/artistic discoveries, and
>then change society accordingly (although this later part only really
>got underway during the enlightenment). I see many similarities with
>today: we need a new renaissance to unify the old knowledge with the new
>discoveries and then find ways of changing our societies accordingly.
This is the new Enlightenment (transhumanity) which Greg presented about at
Extro-5, Max wrote about in Exponent, and I presented at Extro-2.
>The fact that there are people trying to bridge the two cultures and
>create a new synthesis isn't enough, as long as they stand fairly alone
>and unsupported. What made the daring transdisciplinary work of the
>renaissance so important was that it took place in a cultural context
>where it gained support and influence - the actual number of humanists,
>scientists, artists and engineers were fairly low, but they affected
>society profoundly through various channels. Had these channels not
>stood open, their effect would have been marginal and the renaissance
>soon forgotten. We need to find the modern counterparts of these
>channels of reaching into society and for creating a cultural context
>that promotes synthesis.
The numerous electronic art conferences approach this synthesis Anders. In
fact, for the past decade, these conferences have been inviting scientists
to give key talks. (Robin Hanson won an art award some years ago, which I
thought was great.)
The best way to "infiltrate" the environments which you are referring to is
to be there. It is not a game plan, it is a presence. Ideas permeate best
at the comfort zone level where people do not feel pressured. Going into
an environment and pushing an agenda is usually met with a counter force.
Going in an introducing an agenda through persuasive credibility and a
collaborative spirit is usually met with a welcome.
I recall this same issue was brought up at Extro-4 by your colleague and
which I debated at that time, quite heatedly. CP Snow was referenced
incorrectly, which I addressed and I even bonked a few people on the head
who were dogmatic about the separation between art and science. I refuted
this, perhaps too assertively, but nonetheless the points I made then are
the same one's I make today. We cannot look at art the with the same eyes
as we recollect history. Nor could the Renaissance recall the times of
cave dwellers with the same consciousness of the time they lived in. We
are at a very different time in history and our parameters are different.
Art today is not what it was in the Renaissance. In fact, most people do
not recognize or realize what art is today. It is the understanding and
acceptance of what the symbol of today's technology presents in regards to
culture and what those of use who are transhumanists and other futurists
actually think about. The art that reflects this may not be plentiful, but
it is art nonetheless. The art that reflects this may not look or fell
like art of the past, but it is art nonetheless. the art that reflects
this may not even be available to critique because it is still being
conceptualized, but it is art nonetheless. The art that reflects this may
be so ordinary that we don't even consider it art, but it is art
nonetheless. One of my most favored pieces of sculpture today is the Seti
Telescope. Some of the most interesting art today is done digitally and
exhibited on the Internet, or in the think-tanks of scientific laboratories.
We cannot view art by the museum's standards or the standards of the
mundane critic who is looking under rocks with a flashlight for new art.
If so, we might as well get on the stagecoach and head back across the
Rockies.
Best,
Natasha
Natasha Vita-More
http://www.natasha.cc
___________________________
Art and Culture: Create/Recreate: The 3rd Millennial Culture
"Primo 3M+ 2001" Future Physique 3D
http://www.extropic-art.com
___________________________
Culture & Progess: Progress Action Coalition
http://www.ProgressAction.org
___________________________
Transhuman History and Culture:
http://www.transhsuman.org
http://www.transhumanistfaq.com
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