people doing strange things with electricity

dorkbot Cardiff #7 • 14th March 2012
dorkbot Cardiff #7 was dedicated to art and science.
Hosted by Julia Thomas, who started a Cardiff based art science network last year.


art science filler

dorkbot Cardiff #7 took place on March 14th 2012 at Milgi's garage.

We had a mix of speakers who briefly outlined (pecha-kucha stylee) their involvement with Art & Science collaborations to give a broad spectrum of the many facets of this area.


Line up:

hunt

Royden Hunt: What’s the use of 3rd Millennium Sci-Art?

"Interdisciplinary research, writing and teaching has enabled me to work with scientists, artists and many examples of their sci-art projects, particularly in design, installation, site specific and the craft-based arts."
Royden Hunt has a PhD in the biological sciences, studied philosophy and theology and is currently a tutor in humanities at Cardiff University’s Centre for Lifelong Learning. His most recent course in late 2011 was titled ‘In Search of Human Nature - Perspectives from the Sciences, Humanities and the Arts’.


bird

Louise Bird: Science Crochet

Science theory has a strange and beautiful language of its own. It is not always easy to understand, but I have read theories I have found both amusing and inspirational. Most of them are complicated ideas that describe the Universe, and how it came to be. These theories inspire concepts, visions that I feel compelled to illustrate through my practice. I am a closet cosmologist, examining the relationship between the invisibly small and the unimaginably huge, through lengthy process driven textile pieces. Re-working the unravelled mysteries of the Cosmos with a crochet hook and simple yarn.

lambert

Phil Lambert: Neuroaesthetic Art

Painter Phil Lambert is an artist interested in perception: This involves my own subjective analysis of perception and an overlap with the scientific communities objective studies of perception. I am very interested in working with the science community and have explored various formats for collaboration with Cardiff University. In addition I am helping Julia to set up an Art & Science network for South Wales.

lewis Jamie Lewis:

Jamie is a social scientist and research associate for the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and works in the area of Public Engagement of Psychiatric Genetics. He is the co-organiser of Cardiff sciSCREEN, a cross-disciplinary programme that uses film and local academic expertise to discuss contemporary developments in science. He was also co-organiser of the Bench to Brain Public Engagement Arts Exhibition showcasing the work of Julia Thomas and Rhys Bevan Jones.

alexandros

Alexandros Kontogeorgakopoulos: s0’32’’/9’06’’

Alexandros will be demonstrating his live interactive electronic musical piece s0’32’’/9’06’’. Projections will be generated in real time reflecting the piece’s journey from simplicity to complexity and back to simplicity.
He is a computer music researcher, a lecturer and musician. He has studied physics, signal processing, classical music and computer music in Greece and in France. His research and musical interests are situated at the intersection of art, science and technology. He is currently a lecturer and researcher at Cardiff School of Art and Design.

 

bennett

Jan Bennett: Between Progress and Transgression: Images of Human Enhancement in Art and Science.

Jan Bennett is a research student at Cardiff Met, working on the final stages of her Fine Art practice-based PhD project. Her subject is the imagery and art of human modification and enhancement; because the biotechnologies associated with enhancement can give rise to polarised debates, images about them are important in that they have the potential to shape or influence public opinions. Jan’s presentation will discuss images in art, popular science and the art-science form bioart.

[The evening began with an introduction from Julia Thomas. Julia originally studied Genetics and Statistics, has an MSc in Biostatistics and worked in research for a number of years before leaving her post to study Art in Cardiff and, most recently, gained an MA in Arts and Health at Glamorgan University.
Her interests lie within collaborative ways of working, the slippage of language between art and science, and visually elucidating meaning through metaphor. Julia’s art practice necessitates a multi-media approach and is currently focusing on the value of metaphor, physical interactivity and creative participation within artworks as a conversational tool.]