DC Take away
Published April 8, 2013
The Smithsonian Institution will co-host a workshop with SEAD network on May 16, at the Discovery Theater, in Washington D.C. The event includes a luncheon sponsored by the National Endwoment for the Arts, for area SEAD friendly supporters from federal, private, and civic organizations. SEAD will present a review of the White Papers as well as findings from the SEAD Learning Group.
The daytime workshop will be followed by an evening event at the National Academy of Sciences, DC Evening Rendevous (DASER), co-sponsored by Leonardo, 6pm, Keck Center.
If you would like to contribute to these events, please comment:
What is the one take away you most believe needs to be heard by potential supporters of SEAD research, creative work, and/or learning?
SEAD: White Papers 
The take away that I believe is essential for the success of Arts and Science research, creative work and learning is for the financial support
to be equally balanced for both arts and sciences – artists cannot keep subsidising creativity – they should be paid for their contribution and have more opportunities for research places so that they can achieve professional standing and remuneration and recognition for their talent
and invaluable creative contribution to the future.
A short list, description and links to best examples of arts/sciences convergent works and initiatives, demonstrating the 1 + 1 = 3 value-added reason to invest in greater eco-social integration of the arts/sciences.
Art/science needs to do a better job telling the story of why its pairing matters. The popular media narrative is too often about the novelty of two stereotypically polar ends of a spectrum coming together, while the deeper resonance with our moment in history and connections to modernist history that lay beneath the art/science union are left largely unexplored.
It seems that technology aims to ask ‘how’, while art aims to ask ‘why’. As we move forward, and the technology that we create is able to explore massive amounts of data, looking to find hidden patterns, it is the artist who explores the context, to try and discover meaning, to transform information to knowledge and ultimately…understanding. It is critical, as we approach an information singularity, where computers are able to self-optimize their learning algorithms, that we are engaged as a society, to explore and question how this information is used. Artists throughout history have helped drive innovation, but is is also important that artists have also questioned the unintended consequences of unbridled technology. Successful collaboration depends on the development of trust in relationships, and mutual respect between collaborators. We need to fund joint research between arts and science so we can continue to have these relationships established, and nurtured..so as we develop new technologies, we are also exploring their impact, and meaning within the rapidly changing context of our global society.
One of the “take aways” might be emphasizing the importance of art-science collaborations in perceiving, interpreting, and describing the world in very different, but complementary, ways. Many of the most profound breakthroughs in science and design have originated from perceptions or ideas outside the mainstream field that were applied or modified uniquely. As kdoore mentioned in her comments, unveiling the patterns and rhythms that underlie the natural world may be a key to our developing technologies and strategies that are truly novel and sustainable. It may also be the key to communicating beyond words and numbers. Art-science relationships could certainly “set the stage” for the kinds of breakthroughs that would be invaluable in today’s world.
I would love to see collaborating Artists and designers, and scientists and engineers sharing equally in all of the financial support from grants and/or institutions. Most often I experience Universities and granting agencies funding the scientists and not the artists. Breaking down the barriers that confine and designate the roles that artists and scientists should play in the collaborative scheme will open multiple paths to new creative discoveries. Presenting the multiple perspectives that artists and scientists travel to achieve their team’s goals I believe is also important to share
Genspace has a very active program that is cooperative between the arts and the biological sciences. Is this workshop open to the public? We would like to attend, please tell us if we need an invitation.
ejorgensen@genspace.org
What is the one take away you most believe needs to be heard by potential supporters of SEAD research, creative work, and/or learning?
There are many great examples demonstrating art-science, what may be next needed is methods and tutorials to actually simulate or build working prototypes that a student, anyone, could then expand and extend with their own unique perspective and ideas related to their specific discipline. Some of the most interesting work is by people who see science beyond its purpose to explain the world around us. Some attempts at this approach can be found at:
http://www.iit.edu/~krawczyk
and
http://bitartworks.com
Evidence. I would like to see evidence, in the form of examples of innovation driven by artists and designers. The belief that “artists throughout history have helped drive innovation” is not uniformly held. Some believe that artists and designers are (perhaps inspired) users, but not generators of or contributors to, science and engineering knowledge. It will take evidence to significantly shift the balance of what is valued (and thereby funded) Concrete examples will go a long way to making a case for seriously supporting SEAD work.
I see artists and scientists attempting to address issues in the world through parallel and complementary means. Both artists and scientists use observation, analysis, interpretation, and communication as the basic steps in their process of creation, whether that is new scientific knowledge or new art. The important takeaway is that creating opportunities for scientists and artists to work together can enhance the activity of both. Artists can bring new perspectives to scientific questions that may allow scientists to solve problems in ways that were previously outside the scope of their thinking. Conversely, leaning more about scientific approaches and explanations of phenomena can stimulate artists’ creativity in new ways. In addition, the arts can reach a different and wider audience, communicating scientific information in new ways and to more people that traditional scientific channels.
Dear SEAD conference contributors and White Paper authors,
The SEAD conference in DC was a great success! Attending were individuals who contributed to the formation of SEAD network, Pamela Jennings, SAIC, and Fox Harrell, MIT. Marjory Blumenthal, who co-edited “Beyond Productivity” was also in the group of presenters.
In the morning and afternoon, SEAD and XSEAD were joined by White Papers authors and individuals from the NSF, NEA, and other organizations for a total of about 30 persons. We discussed work to date and sought suggestions for next steps. We came away with refreshed enthusiasm and some new connections to pursue.
At the NEA-sponsored luncheon, we first heard remarks from Federal speakers: the Director of the NSF, Chairwoman of the NEA, Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture at the Smithsonian, and the Director of NASA JPL. Other speakers represented the Department of Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, Department of Energy, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy. A thread connecting these talks was the need for experimentation, risk taking, collaboration, and joy. Dr. Cora Marrett, NSF Director, began the luncheon with an affirmation that a measurable outcome of arts and sciences collaboration is quality of life. This was particularly poetic, since Roger Malina, the final SEAD presenter, ended on the same note with “Thriving: Well-being and Joyfulness,” the 13th domain synthesized from White Papers suggested actions.
Following remarks from federal colleagues, SEAD and SEAD partners presented work on portal design (XSEAD), and then topics related to the four SEAD goal areas: Culture and Economic Development, Research and Creative Work, Learning and Education, Collaboration and Partnering. All brought to the table solid evidence of potential — and also of fully realized impacts — resulting from SEAD engagement. The White Papers draft report was presented by Roger Malina, who summarized the thirteen domains arising from a qualitative analysis of the 260 suggested actions contained in them. Printed draft reports were distributed to all attendees.
Capping the day was an evening DASER event hosted by J.D. Talasek, at the National Academy of Sciences. SEAD presenters joined in conversations with each other and with audience members who filled us in on their own projects and passions. A particularly interesting question was raised: what is the difference between “artists and scientists” and “citizen artists and scientists?” Many thanks to J.D. for hosting this lively discussion.
An additional meeting for Learning and Education was held Friday morning at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, led by Lucinda Presley and attended by SEAD members as well as NSTA, the Department of Education, a NASA artist in residence, the Beall Center for Art and Technology, and faculty from several higher education institutions. This meeting resulted in the formation of a dedicated group to pursue specific initiatives in the near future. Our thanks to Deborah Gaston of NMWA for hosting this workshop.
At this conference we fulfilled suggestions from bloggers (seadnetwork.wordpress.com) to demonstrate impacts as a result of art+science collaboration, in all goal areas. We learned that individuals who are in positions to influence federal agencies are in agreement with and supportive of SEAD goals. We reaffirmed the need for connections across domains, and for a network to assist in interpreting, matchmaking, aggregating, and championing the building of bridges.
Special thanks to Joan Shigekawa and Bill O’Brien, NEA, for your support of SEAD. We were delighted to be hosted by the Smithsonian Institution–thanks to Richard Kurin and Claudia Brown. I’m grateful for leadership from Roger Malina, Carol Strohecker, and Lucinda Presley. We could not have demonstrated excellence without Fox Harrell, Katherine Moriwaki, Francesca Samsel, Brian K. Smith, Noah Wardrip-Fruin, and Ruth West. Thanks also to XSEAD for your support and participation: Thanassis Rikakis, Donna Cox, and Daragh Byrne. Of course, the White Papers were a large part of this discussion, and SEAD thanks all those who contributed provocative and excellent material to White Papers and analyses.
In the near future, SEAD will be debriefing and organizing initiatives as a result of this conference. We look forward to connecting with you again.
Very best regards,
Carol LaFayette
NSEAD PI
SEAD Network