Artists-in-Labs: Processes of Inquiry 9783990437186, 9783990430583

Table of contents :
Contents
Essays
Foreword
Introduction: Processes of Inquiry
Artists in Industry and the Academy: Collaborative Research, Interdisciplinary Scholarship, and the Interpretation of Hybrid Forms
Welcoming Uncertainty: The Strong Case for Coupling Art to Science and Technology
Suggested Discourses for more Art_Sci Collaborations
Perception-Translation-Transformation
Free Access or Entry Denied? Searching for Common Ground in the ‘artists-in-labs’ Project
Science in Trouble? Art brings Hope
Case Studies
Case Studies of the project: artists-in-labs 2003-05
Institute for Geobotanics, ETH Zürich
BATS, Centre for Biosafety/Sustainability, Basel
ZMB, Centre for Microscopy, Basel
PSI, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen
Planetarium, Museum of Transportation, Lucerne
GlobIS, ETH Zürich
Artificial Intelligence Lab, Uni Zürich
CSEM, Alpnach
CoLab, ETH Zürich
Life Sciences
Thomas Isler
N.S. Harsha
Isabel Rohner
Shirley Soh
Physics
Nigel Helyer
Dominik Bastianello
Andrew Quinn
Clea T. Waite
Computing/Engineering
Tiffany Holmes
Axel Vogelsang
Margarete Jahrmann / Max Moswitzer
Adrianne Wortzel
Margaret Tan
Biographies
Biographies from the contributing artists and writers
DVD and Analyses
Documentary Film As Research Analyses
13 documentaries about the artists-in-lab projects

Citation preview

ARTISTS-IN-LABS PROCESSES OF INQUIRY Editor:Jill Scott

1

Editor Jill Scott Institute Cultural Studies in Art, Media and Design Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Zürich, Switzerland Editorial Office ICS HGK Zürich Graphic Design Karin Schiesser, Marianna Prenger Copy Editors Marille Hahne, Juanita Schläpfer-Miller Images on cover Thomas Isler, Harsha NS, Tiffany Holmes, Nigel Helyer, Isabel Rohner © 2006 Springer-Verlag/Wien and HGK Zürich

Printed in Austria Printing: Holzhausen Druck & Medien GmbH, 1140 Wien SpringerWienNewYork is part of Springer Science + Business Media www.springeronline.com Printed on acid-free and chlorine-free bleached paper SPIN: 11528166 With 61 colour images and 24 black and white images Library of Congress Control Number: 2005929628 ISBN-10 3-211-27957-1 SpringerWienNewYork ISBN-13 978-3-211-27957-1 SpringerWienNewYork This work (book and enclosed DVD) is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically those of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, broadcasting, reproduction by photocopying machines or similar means, and storage in data banks. Product Liability: The publisher can give no guarantee for all the information contained in this book. This does also refer to information about drug dosage and application thereof. In every individual case the respective user must check its accuracy by consulting other pharmaceutical literature. The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

2

ESSAYS

5

Foreword by Sigrid Schade

6

Introduction: Processes of Inquiry | Jill Scott

8

Artists in Industry and the Academy: Collaborative Research, Interdisciplinary Scholarship, and the Interpretation of Hybrid Forms | Edward A. Shanken

15

Welcoming Uncertainty: The Strong Case for Coupling Art to Science and Technology | Roger Malina

24

Suggested Discourses for more Art_Sci Collaborations | Jill Scott

36

Perception-Translation-Transformation | René Stettler

43

Free Access or Entry Denied? Searching for Common Ground in the 'artists-in-labs' Project | Priska Gisler

CASE STUDIES

LIFE SCIENCES

PHYSICS

47

Science in Trouble? Art brings Hope | Beat Gerber

52

Case Studies of the project: artists-in-labs 2003-05

58

Institute for Geobotanics, ETH Zurich

59

BATS, Centre for Biosafety/Sustainability, Basel

60

ZMB, Centre for Microscopy, Basel

62

PSI, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen

64

Planetarium, Museum of Transportation, Lucerne

66

GlobIS, ETH Zurich

68

Artificial Intelligence Lab, Uni Zurich

70

CSEM, Alpnach

72

CoLab, ETH Zurich

74

Thomas Isler

78

N.S. Harsha

82

Isabel Rohner

86

Shirley Soh

90

Nigel Helyer

94

Dominik Bastianello

98

Andrew Quinn

102

Clea T. Waite

106

Tiffany Holmes

110

Axel Vogelsang

114

Margarete Jahrmann | Max Moswitzer

118

Adrianne Wortzel

122

Margaret Tan

BIOGRAPHIES

127

Biographies from the contributing artists and writers

DVD AND ANALYSES

134

Documentary Film as Research Analyses | Marille Hahne

COMPUTING/ENGINEERING

DVD | 13 documentaries about the artists-in-lab projects 3

FOREWORD

Sigrid Schade

A PROJECT SITUATED IN THE FIELD OF CULTURAL AND VISUAL ANALYSES

Descriptions of Renaissance culture always emphasized the

Thus this book and project: 'artists-in-labs: Processes of

humanist ideal of the artist/scientist as a 'uomo universale'

Inquiry' conceived and constructed by Prof. Dr. Jill Scott

of which Leonardo of course seemed to be the best example.

and her research team, is a research and production project

Today, we know that this description tends to be a myth

genuinely situated within the field of cultural and visual

and not all Renaissance artists were so versatile nor so

analysis. Science labs are different cultural environments than

transdisciplinary in their interest or well educated. Many of

art environments. Therefore, the Institute, Cultural Studies

them did not even understand Latin or Greek. Yet the interest

in Art, Media and Design of the School of Art and Design

in mathematical definitions of proportions, geometrical

Zurich1 was lucky that the focus of this research exactly

structures of perspective and optical instruments was a very

fit the focus of our institute, and we were very pleased to

constituted part of the artistic formulation of the 15th and

fund this publication of the artists-in-labs research results.

16th centuries as well as one that was rediscovered from the

These results not only examine the social and cultural

antique knowledge of perception.

impact of scientific discovery on contemporary art and design. They emphasize the growing interest in teamwork

Though the gap between the 'two cultures', the sciences

rather than individual work; an aspect which is becoming

and humanities have grown historically, the actual exchange

common to both disciplines. The artists-in-labs research

between the arts and the sciences has been of fluctuating

team has attempted to 'open up' access to new forms of

intensity during the history of their mutual dialogue. Many

knowledge. This project has helped to educate artists and

art-works have reflected future technical developments not

designers in disciplines outside their usual cultural borders.

only those related to apparatuses of perception, photography and film, but also those related to the discoveries of scientific

Research at our Art and Design School at the University of

research which attempted to make the invisible 'visible' like

Applied Sciences and Arts Zurich is often based on an analysis

microscopy, radiography etc.

of applied and basic ethnographical case studies, and the final aim is to weave theoretical discourses from these practical

However, there has never been more separation between the

approaches, which may help as guidelines for further research

two cultures than today: with art on one side and science

on an international level. I would like to thank the team

on the other. This separation may be due to the fact that

members: the media artist and leader Prof. Dr. Jill Scott, the

the computer took over as a universal multimedia producer

scientific coordinator René Stettler, the director of the DVD

of traditional representations, while leaving the traditional

films Prof. Marille Hahne, and the scientific collaborator Dr.

mediums such as painting with a new status in relation to

Priska Gisler for having the motivation, the courage and the

'reality'. Furthermore, the concept of 'reality' is often being

insistence for making this project. I thank all the laboratories

re-defined in the Life Sciences. On the other side, the

involved and all the Swiss national and international artists

traditional borders within art practice are shifting and losing

who participated and shared their experiences with the other

their disciplinary effects. These issues raise various questions

artists and the research team. Hopefully we will be able to

about the relationship between art, design and engineering

continue with similar or related projects, so that we can

for example. The relations have shifted because artists are

further this analysis.

now situated differently within an information society and a world of growing globalisation. Moreover in art and in science, teamwork has become much more important than the notion of the genius in history that was normally ascribed to the traditional artist or scientist.

4

,1Prof. Dr. Sigrid Schade is the Head of the Institute Cultural Studies in Art, Media and Design at the School of Art and Design Zurich, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Zurich, Switzerland

INTRODUCTION AND RELATED ESSAYS

5

INTRODUCTION: PROCESSES OF INQUIRY Jill Scott

As the title 'artists-in-labs: Processes of Inquiry' suggests, a

between the scientists? Would they discover if ethical or

distinctive and unique process of inquiry might be emerging

social issues can be accurately addressed in research? Was

from the new roads artists are building into scientific

it possible to transfer processes and methodologies? Could

research. This book not only substantiates the need for

the lab context improve the know-how transfer between

more critical analysis about the roles of the artist and the

artists and the scientists? Would any collaborations lead

scientist in the lab context, it presents related essays

to the creation of new tools and innovative approaches?

about the creation of a viable interface from international

How coud these stories contribute to the history of art/sci

contexts. Residencies are unique cultural experiences where

collaborations? What are relevant discourses for the future?

comparisons of communication, knowledge, perception and

Therefore the artist’s reports in this book are part of a larger

imagination can take place. Placing artists into scientific

'narrative ethnography' about how the artists spent their

environments can not only provide education and new

time in the various labs. As a research team, our observation

knowledge for the artist, it may also 'open up' science towards

in the artists-in-labs project was from the stance of field

more collaborative potentials in the future. Both the actual

sociologists, in other words, our attempt was to observe and

case studies from the artists-in-labs project and reflective

study a social scene and whenever possible, we tried not to

essays in this book compare the benefits and the problems

interfere with the situation.

of sharing this transdisciplinary knowledge on a theoretical and practical level. They comment on the value of art as a

Many questions about art and science collaborations are

link for science to the public or as a help to improve public

addressed in the related essays.

relations in the lab. They compare the ways of thinking and

Edward A. Shanken, media art historian, begins with a history

the know-how transfer, question the relationship between

of EAT (Engineering, Art, Technology), where the goal was to

the skills, methods and processes of art and design and those

open up the scientists from an over-specialized knowledge

of science, and ponder the potentials of 'true' art & science

of engineering and open up artists to scientific research. He

collaborations to enhance innovation.

then assesses the global practical and theoretical state of AST

In the case studies, nine labs and fourteen artists were divided

(Art, Science, Technology) and the roles of inter-mediators

into three categories: the Life Sciences, engineering / com-

who provide contexts for the exploration of transdisciplinary

puter science and physics. Physics was classified separately

fields. Paramount to his argument is the need for a heightened

because it involves the combination of Life Sciences with

level of scholarship from academics, which can help analyze

simulation and engineering. Many themes in science institutes

case studies, share practices and propose new models for the

are categories unto their own, although Artificial Intelligence

future. He calls for Ph.D. level research in the area, as well

probably houses the most transdisciplinary group of scientists

as a re-vision and re-writing of art history to include AST

under one roof. From our experience in the artists-in-labs

transdisciplinary artworks, which will forge a re-construction

project, it was obvious that generalizations simply do not

of the vistas of creativity and invention.

apply in relation to the lab experiences, even those which claim

Roger Malina, scientist and executive editor of 'Leonardo',

similarities of approach. In fact we still have a lot of problems

begins his essay with the fact that 97% of the universe is

to compare the attitudes of the artists and scientists involved

undiscovered and that the concepts of knowledge and the

because of the sheer level of diversity. However, the point

state of human development are interdependent. He suggests

of letting the artist 'speak out' in the reports of this book

that artists are gaining scientific knowledge, even though

is not to discuss the problems of this classification; instead

they may have different goals, success criteria and practical

it was to provide stories for our research team to focus on

methodologies from scientists. However their real advantage

the following important sociological questions: Could artists

is that they like to work across borders and outside confined

help link science to the public or improve communications

boundaries. He cites artists’ comments on the world or the

6

potentials of art to help science increase innovative yields

a fragile floor of transgenic eggs which require the invited

as rather weak cases for the coupling of art with science and

guests to 'tread' carefully; for Margaret Tan, the house is

technology. Instead he suggests that both, the artist and the

full of scientists who need help to understand the plight of

scientist, should intentionally intervene in the social context

domestic workers; and for Isabel Rohner the actual house

of each others’ worlds, so that interesting changes can occur

facade of the ZMB Science centre is a metaphor for the

in the future direction of science and technology.

microscopic skin from her own body. Priska wonders about

In my essay I suggest that in order to think more deeply about

the level of appreciation, the scientists, the artists and the

art and science collaborations, we may have to 'open up' to

audience have for these encounters inside the various houses

more radical discourses about education, innovation, ethics

of science.

and social engagement. The first group of discourses are

Beat Gerber, our main partner in the artists-in-labs project,

education and know-how transfer about situated knowledge,

suggests that an artist can be a catalyst and a liberator for

contextual immersion and relational creativity. The second

science. He reviews the artist’s work at the Paul Scherrer

group are discourses about ethics including bio-ethics and

Institute as an example of potentials to explore innovation as

the artistic interpretation of scientifically robust knowledge.

a creative tool. He suggests that collaboration would create

The final category describes discourses about innovation and

many interesting synergies and perhaps produce answers

its social impact on culture such as converging technologies,

which conventional research might not be able to find, as

comparing methodologies and information as progress.

both artists and scientists work in the area of possibilities.

Within these topics the roles of contemporary artists, of

The enclosed DVD is a series of video essays which feature

scientists and of the public are discussed.

the scientific research taking place in the labs and compare

René Stettler, director of the Biennial on Science, Technics +

the comments between the artists and the scientists from

Aesthetics in Lucerne, suggests that one of the main problems

the case studies. The films were directed by filmmaker Marille

in art and science projects is the lack of critical self-reflection.

Hahne. Using a new term she calls 'Research Mode', she

Scientists cherish the boundaries of their disciplines, artists

suggests that other art researchers could use the potential

on the other hand have an intrinsic curiosity and eagerness

of documentary film as an appropriate research tool in our

to understand new worlds and turn this experience into

tele-literate society. Her results verify the need for such

a valuable artistic interpretation. To illustrate his point

a project to continue so that others can also benefit from

he cites the experience and results of two artists-in-labs

similar experiences in the future.

projects: 'Where in the World am I' by Dominik Bastianello

As the editor of this publication I wish to thank all the

and 'The Writing is on the Soil' by Shirley Soh. He argues

contributors and I hope that many other scientists, artists

that illustration, visualization and interpretations are more

and designers may appreciate the critical and creative range

applicable to science rather than art. Instead the artists’ role

of this inquiry. I would sincerely like to thank the Swiss

may be to reveal the unexplainable, explore new angles of the

Innovation Promotion Agency KTI/CTI (OPET) for funding

perception and invent metaphors for the phenomenological

the project and all the nine science labs involved in our

aspects of scientific research. He encourages the sharing of

project. Congratulations on your insight for agreeing with us

related aesthetic and metaphorical experiences.

that science-based research funds could be awarded to the

Using the idea of how various artists have used the metaphor

'opening up' of science in this respect!

of the 'house', social scientist Priska Gisler comments on the

'artists-in-labs, Processes of Inquiry' is the first art/sci

challenge of inviting visitors into the 'house of science'. For

project in Switzerland to combine Life Sciences, engineering,

visiting artist Thomas Isler, the house is a set of tents and the

computing and physics with a wide variety of art disciplines.

occupants are genetically modified crops and controversies

We hope you will find it stimulating enough to help further

from scientists and politicians; for Shirley Soh, the house has

the cause on a national and international level.

Jill Scott

7

ARTISTS IN INDUSTRY AND THE ACADEMY:

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH, INTER-

DISCIPLINARY SCHOLARSHIP, AND THE INTERPRETATION OF HYBRID FORMS Edward A. Shanken

evenings - theatre and engineering, the landmark event that launched E.A.T., there was greater disciplinary autonomy and insularity than exists today. John Cage, who participated in the event, claimed that the engineer was separate from artists and other people because of "his very highly specialized knowledge."2 Similarly, Klüver observed that, as a result of their training, engineers are "locked into a very restricted way of looking at the world," which prevents them from "using their brains to change the environment, to make a more human environment, as they should."3 Over and above Klüver’s specific goal of making "materials, technology and engineering available to any contemporary artist," E.A.T. created an institutional infrastructure to facilitate and enable communication and collaboration between artists and engineers at a time when practitioners in these disciplines had little or no access to each other either socially or professionally.4 Ultimately, Rauschenberg believed, the success of E.A.T. could be measured by the extent to which it had become a "redundant organization" - in other words, that artist-engineer collaborations would have become so commonplace that E.A.T. no longer was needed to facilitate them. Fig. 1: Manifesto by Robert Rauschenberg & Billy Klüver from 1967

To what extent has E.A.T achieved its goals? What cultural

Introduction

changes and institutional formations have emerged over the

For a press conference on 10th October, 1967, artist Robert

last forty years that facilitate or promote interdisciplinary

Rauschenberg and engineer Billy Klüver collaboratively

collaborations at the intersections of art, science, and tech-

wrote a manifesto outlining the aims of Experiments in Art

nology (AST)? What lingering or new structural problems

and Technology (E.A.T.).1 Printed on light blue paper with

hinder them? The following discussion begins with a brief

cloud-like tufts of white (Fig. 1), the organization’s co-

survey of AST collaborations in industry and the academy

founders expressed the "urgency ... for a new awareness and

internationally. Next, a variety of practical and theoretical

sense of responsibility" regarding the relationship between

issues are considered, including the role of intermediaries

art and technology. They warned that industry’s failure to

who build bridges between various communities, diverging

"generat[e] original forethought ... and precipitate a mutu-

interests between those communities, questions of interpre-

al agreement" could result in a 'cultural revolution', which

tation and evaluation of the hybrid products and the individ-

would be a 'waste' - the antithesis of efficient engineering.

uals and teams that create them, and career concerns facing

The authors asserted that it was unrealistic for art and tech-

those whose work challenges traditional disciplinary con-

nology to develop separately and claimed that a "civilized

straints. Given the growing dedication of cultural resources

collaboration" between them would promote the construc-

to engage artists and designers in science and technology

tive values of "variety, pleasure ... exploration and involve-

research, there is great need for scholarship that analyzes

ment in contemporary life."

case-studies, identifies best practices and working methods,

In 1966, when Klüver and Rauschenberg organized nine

and proposes models for evaluating both the hybrid products

8

resulting from these endeavours and the contributions of the

organization Arts Catalyst has promoted dialogue, research,

individuals engaged in them.

and awareness at the intersections of art and science, including projects supported by NESTA, the European Commission,

Interdisciplinary Research in Industry and the Academy

and the European Space Agency. The Arts Council England

Taken as a whole, Europe is arguably at the forefront of AST

that supports interdisciplinary research and the production

research, with the greatest concentration of resources dedi-

of documentary resources pertaining to it. Evolving from

cated to it. The ZKM in Karlsruhe, the Ars Electronica Centre

the CAiiA+STAR Ph.D. program that Roy Ascott initiated in

in Linz, and the new artists-in-labs program organized by Jill

1995, the Planetary Collegium offers an international Ph.D.

Scott at the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Zurich

program for art and design researchers through its base at

(HGKZ), exemplify how the European Union (EU), local gov-

the University of Plymouth and its hubs called Z-node at the

ernments, and advanced scientific research centres in Europe

HGZK and M-node at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in

continue to provide substantial support for interdisciplinary

Milan. However the picture in the UK is not entirely positive:

research involving artists at full-service media art centres,

in Dublin, Arthouse Multimedia Centre closed in July 2002

museums, exhibitions, and symposia, and partnerships with

and the Media Lab Europe, which supported creative inven-

industrial and academic research programs.5 These programs

tion across disciplines, closed in January 2005.

has spearheaded the 'Pioneers of Art and Science' project

focus on providing access to transdisciplinary resources by immersing artists in labs where engineering, computing, and

In Canada, The Banff New Media Institute, funded by a com-

natural science research take place. Also funded in part by

bination of federal monies and corporate partnerships, has

the EU, Poetic Cubs (Poetic Cubes) project includes art-

supported many collaborations at the intersections of art and

ists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, and engineers at

technology and also has played a leadership role in promot-

universities in Spain, England, France, and Scotland. Their

ing meta-critical research into the field through The Beauty

interdisciplinary research explores the scientific and cultural

of Collaboration symposium (2003) and the BRIDGES con-

potentials of self-organizing, self-replicating, and self-re-

sortium and conferences (in collaboration with the University

pairing systems. The Crucible Studio, a joint-project between

of Southern California (USC) Annenberg Center for Commu-

the University of Art and Design Helsinki Media Lab and

nication, 2001, 2002), resulting in informative and insight-

the Media Centre, Lume, researches and develops narrative

ful reports. In the province of Québec, the Daniel Langlois

forms employing digital, non-linear and interactive media.

Foundation, the Société des Arts Technologiques, and the

Based in Paris, Don Foresta has coordinated the creation of

new HEXAGRAM Institute for Research/Creation in Media

the Multimedia Art Research Centres and Electronic Labo-

Arts and Technologies (funded by a Canadian $20 million

ratories (MARCEL), a permanent broadband network cur-

grant shared between Concordia University and the Univer-

rently consisting of 100 members in over 17 countries that

sité de Québec in Montreal) all support various aspects of

uses the Access Grid multicasting platform to enable "artis-

research and documentation of collaborative work. Smaller

tic, educational and cultural experimentation, exchange be-

regional organizations, including the Interaccess Electronic

tween art and science, and collaboration between art and

Media Arts Center in Toronto and the Soil Media Suite at

industry."6 Research involving art, science, and technology

Neutral Ground in Regina also provide important resources

has received substantial support in the UK. Founded by an

for research, production, and presentation of AST projects.

act of Parliament in 1997 and funded by the lottery, the

In Australia, the SymbioticA collaboratory was founded at the

National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

University of Western Australia at Perth and the first edition

(NESTA) has made over seven-hundred awards that support

of the Biennial of Electronic Arts Perth (BEAP) took place

interdisciplinary creativity. For over ten years, the non-profit

in 2002. The Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council has

Edward A. Shanken

9

funded artist residencies in science labs and the Australian

Washington, D.C. did not include any discussion of the role

Center for Art and Technology has promoted interdiscipli-

that artists, humanists, or even social scientists might play in

nary practice and collaboration since 1985. The Interactive

collaborative research. The handful of humanists and social

Digital Media Matrix (iDMM) was created through a merger

scientists in the audience voiced their disappointment about

between the University of New South Wales and the Univer-

this elision. Although the subsequent National Academies

sity of Technology, Sydney. Under the leadership of Jeffrey

Press publication, Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research

Shaw, Director of the iCinema Center for Interactive Cinema

(2004), offered insightful recommendations for interdisci-

at UNSW, the iDMM received preliminary funding from the

plinary research, including the important role of social sci-

Australian Research Council to support a large-scale, inter-

entists, it did not address the AST nexus specifically and its

national research consortium that stresses interdisciplinary

substantial bibliography included few references to literature

collaboration in new media, communications technology, cul-

in this field.

tural theory, and cognitive science. In Japan, the InterCom-

Intel is currently the most visible and generous corpo-

munication Center (ICC), Tokyo, the Institute for Advanced

rate sponsor of artistic research collaborations in the US.8

Media Arts and Sciences (IAMAS), Gifu, and the Media In-

Prestigious, corporate-sponsored programs at Interval Re-

formation Science Laboratories at the Advanced Telecom-

search and Xerox PARC abruptly ended in 1999 and 2000

munications Research Institute (ATR), Kyoto, are supporting

respectively. In 2000, Lucent Technologies teamed with the

interdisciplinary, collaborative research. New programmes

Brooklyn Academy of Music to develop the short-lived Arts

are also emerging in Singapore, China, and other areas in the

in Multimedia (AIM) program, which resulted in several inter-

Pacific Rim. At the University of Caxias do Sul, Brazil, Diana

disciplinary projects, including Listening Post (2001) by Bell

Dominguez coordinates the Artecno research group, part of

Laboratories research statistician Mark Hansen in collabora-

the Laboratory of New Technologies in Visual Arts, which has

tion with independent artist Ben Rubin. Lucent no longer

produced many multimedia installations and developed the

sponsors such projects and Hansen left Bell in 2003 for a

Pocket Cave (a NAVE, or Non-expansive Automatic Virtual

professorship at UCLA, where he holds a joint appointment

Environment.)

in Statistics and Design Media.

The situation in the US is marked by an absence of govern-

Although corporate artist residencies and project sponsor-

mental funding and great uncertainty about other forms of

ship require broad support from within an institutional frame-

institutional support. There is nothing comparable to the

work, often it is the vision, talent, and work of individuals

ZKM, Ars Electronica, the Banff New Media Institute, or the

that generate such programs. Max Matthews and Billy Klüver

ICC. In the US, though, organizations such as Art Science Col-

played such a role at Bell Labs in the 1960s. From its incep-

laborations Inc. (ASCI), Boston Cyberarts Festival (and ART-

tion in 1993, the PARC Artists in Residence program (PAIR)

COM program), Eyebeam Atelier, the Exploratorium, and the

was spearheaded and directed by Rich Gold, whose own

Kitchen, help support networking, exhibitions, residencies,

background bridged the arts and industry and who was able

and symposia. The publication in spring 2003 of the report

to communicate in both languages. Similarly, Intel’s sponsor-

'Beyond Productivity: Information Technology, Innovation,

ship of artistic research emerged from the vision and leader-

and Creativity' sponsored by the National Research Council

ship of Dana Plautz, who also has an interdisciplinary back-

with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, offered hope

ground. Sara Diamond has noted that such individuals play

that more governmental interest in interdisciplinary AST re-

a crucial role enabling interdisciplinary research involving

search would be forthcoming.7 However, the agenda of the

artists by justifying industry’s investment in them, convinc-

January 2004 Convocation on 'Facilitating Interdisciplinary

ing colleagues of their value, and intermediating between the

Research' convened by the National Science Foundation in

interests of individuals and institutions, and between artists,

10

engineers, and scientists.9 It is unclear what combination of

Lab at the University of Illinois, Chicago has been a seed-

personal and managerial qualities makes for successful inter-

bed for interdisciplinary research, including the collaborative

mediaries, or what conditions would lead to identifying and

creation of the CAVE in 1992 by a team including artist Dan

cultivating more of them, but such catalysts may play a vital

Sandin.14 Also in 1973, Charles Csuri founded the Computer

role in the future of interdisciplinary research.

Graphics Research Group at The Ohio State University, which

Despite their largesse, it would be naïve to imagine that

later expanded in 1984 to become the Advanced Computing

industry partners invite artists into their labs for the sole

Center for the Arts and Design. Since 1979, the Interactive

purpose of research. In works such as 'On Social Grease and

Telecommunications Program at NYU has supported research

Mobilization' (1975), Hans Haacke poignantly revealed how

on, and development of, alternative media. Despite an un-

supporting the arts can white-wash a company’s tainted

certain relationship with art and artists, the MIT Media Lab,

image, transforming it into a corporate good citizen. By ac-

founded in 1985 as an outgrowth of the Architecture Ma-

cepting corporate sponsorship, Haacke argued, artists and

chine Group, is perhaps the best-known academic program

cultural institutions become complicit in supporting the in-

for interdisciplinary invention at the nexus of technology and

terests of capitalism and globalization.10 Nonetheless, it is

culture. At the University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne,

difficult to imagine a 'pure' place of operations where artists

Donna Cox has held a joint appointment with the School of

can produce and exhibit work that is autonomous from eco-

Art and Design and the National Center for Supercomputing

11

nomics. For some artists, whose practice demands access

Applications since 1985, participating in myriad interdiscipli-

to and participation in the development of emerging tech-

nary collaborations that involve 'renaissance teams'.15

nologies, there may be little option but to rely on corporate, public, or institutional partners. At the same time, individual

Universities have played an important role in stimulating the

artists have succeeded in producing technologically complex

explosive resurgence of artistic and public interest in art and

work and alternative spaces have presented it without relying

technology that began in the 1990s, spurred by the avail-

on such support.12

ability of personal computers and user-friendly software

The embrace of artistic collaborations by national and uni-

and further buoyed by a general fascination with technol-

versity research laboratories has played an important role

ogy amidst the e-commerce boom. Academic institutions are

in the development of AST in the US. As suggested above,

increasingly recognizing the importance of interdisciplinary

one must consider the possibility that such labs also seek

research and the value of art and design as bona fide re-

to enrich their public image by an association with the arts

search fields that have much to contribute to science and

and/or to employ artists to give concrete and accessible form

engineering. The University of California (UC) system is at

to the abstract and complex scientific concepts underlying

the forefront of this wave. Leading practitioners and scholars

their research. Such motivations are particularly germane to

in the arts, humanities, sciences, and engineering on the

research that is the subject of public debate, e.g. nanotech-

faculty include: Ken Goldberg, Greg Niemeyer, and Warren

nology, genetic engineering, military technology; or that is

Sack at UC Berkeley; Rebecca Allen, Mark Hanson, Katherine

a conspicuous consumer of public funds but has produced

Hayles, Erkki Huhtamo, Christian Moeller, Victoria Vesna,

scant tangible output, for example particle accelerators for

and Jim Gimzewski, at UCLA; Fran Dyson, Douglas Kahn,

high energy physics.13

and Lynn Hershman Leeson at UC Davis; Beatriz Da Costa, Rob Nideffer Celia Pearce, and Simon Penny at UC Irvine;

After a wave of intense public fascination with art and

George Legrady and Marcos Novak at UC Santa Barbara; and

technology that peaked around 1968, American universi-

Jordan Crandall, Natalie Jeremijenko, and Lev Manovich at

ties became important centres for ongoing experimentation

UC San Diego. A wide range of centres, institutes, networks,

in this field. Founded in 1973, the Electronic Visualization

and collaborations span multiple UC campuses, including the

Edward A. Shanken

11

Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society

Conclusion: Criticism, History, and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

(CITRIS), Center for Research in Computing and the Arts

Although 18th and 19th century aesthetic theories asserted

(CRCA), the California Institute for Telecommunications and

the autonomy of art, the development by artists of one-point

Information Technology (Calit 2), and the Digital Cultures

perspective, anatomy, photography, and virtual reality at-

Project. Adding to the ferment, USC boasts of renowned

test to the deeply intermingled histories of art, science, and

faculty, including Anne Balsamo, Perry Hoberman, Marsha

technology. Moreover, throughout history, artists have cre-

Kinder, and Michael Naimark.

ated and utilized technology to envision the future, not just

Hand in hand with the growing recognition of art and design

of art, but of culture and society in general. Unfortunately,

as valuable collaborative partners in scientific and engineer-

the history of art has neglected to incorporate this vision-

ing research, artists have demanded a terminal degree that

ary conjunction of art and technology into its canon in any

creates parity with other scholars who hold a Ph.D. These

systematic way. Just as the insights afforded by diverse

factors have fuelled the emergence of academic programs in

methodologies, ranging from feminist theory to Marxism to

the US that support doctoral research involving collaboration

post-structuralism, have resulted in substantial revisions of

between artists, engineers, and scientists. As in industry,

the art historical canon, so the history of art must be re-

visionary individuals have played an important role in cata-

vised in a way that explicitly addresses interactions between

lyzing the creation of these programs, which include the

art, engineering, and science. This revision will be required

Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DX Arts) program

not just because it corrects an obvious omission but because

directed by Richard Karpen and Shawn Brixey at the Univer-

contemporary artists are increasingly employing science and

sity of Washington; the Digital Media program at Georgia

technology as artistic media and students are increasingly

Tech’s School of Literature, Communication, & Culture, with

being trained to use them as standard materials and tech-

interdisciplinary faculty including Jay David Bolter, Diane

niques. As their work enters mainstream artistic practice and

Gromala, Janet Murray, Eugene Thacker, and Sha Xin Wei;

becomes embraced by galleries, museums, and other cultural

and the Media, Art, and Technology program at UC Santa

institutions, the need for contextualizing it within a larger

Barbara, spearheaded by Legrady (slated for Fall, 2005).

history will demand the production of that narrative. The

Other notable US graduate programs include the Arts Com-

growing number of scholarly publications in the field sug-

putation Engineering program directed by Penny at UC

gests that this process already has begun. In order to facili-

Irvine, which has proposed a Ph.D. program, and the Arts,

tate research in this area, the author has created an online

Media, and Engineering program chaired by Thanassis Rikakis

bibliography of literature on inter- and transdisciplinary col-

at Arizona State University, which also aspires to create its own

laboration.16

UC Digital Art Research Network (UC DARNet), Center for

Ph.D. program. The Design | Media program chaired by Vesna at UCLA, the Art and Technology program led by Ken Rinaldo

The initial growth of graduate programmes that support

at The Ohio State University, the Digital Media MFA program

advanced research involving interdisciplinary collaboration

at RISD directed by Bill Seaman, and the Art and Technology

emerged through the pioneering efforts of visionary artists,

Program chaired by Eduardo Kac at the School of the Art

engineers, scientists, other scholars, and administrators. Its

Institute of Chicago all encourage interdisciplinary research

current expansion is being fuelled in part by market demand

leading to a MFA degree. The recent creation of the Center

from students who believe that an interdisciplinary educa-

for New Media at UC Berkeley and current construction of

tion will best prepare them for the creative challenges of

the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at Rens-

the present and future. To serve this demand, the greatest

selaer Polytechnic Institute further indicate a dedication to

number of new faculty-hires in art departments at US uni-

interdisciplinary research involving artists at US universities.

versities are in the interdisciplinary field of media art. Univer-

12

sity administrators are coming to recognize that multimedia

scientists furnish a valuable test-bed for such research,

development is a growth area both for the education market

while interdisciplinary analysis offers an insightful approach

as well as for global economic markets, and that corporate

to its evaluation.18

and foundation support of graduate research in this area can provide substantial external funding. Leading contemporary

Artists, designers, scientists, and engineers who collaborate

artists in the US are now directing interdisciplinary graduate

together must, on some level, share or develop a common

programs at major US research institutions that are training

language, negotiate mutually rewarding goals, establish clear

a generation of hybrid practitioners, some of whom have

communication and effective knowledge sharing, and de-

17

entered the professoriate. As their numbers increase, their

velop a scheme for project coordination and management.19

impact on the centrality of technology and science in the

The need for shared languages and goals raises many ques-

practice of art and design (and vice-versa) will also force a

tions, not only for the collaborators, but for cultural critics

reconsideration of the canons of art history and the histories

and historians who wish to analyze and comment on them.

of science and technology. One hopes that such work will

If a goal of these collaborations is the creation of hybrid

create new forms and structures of meaning that expand the

forms, what have been referred to as 'boundary objects,' that

languages of art, design, engineering, and science, and that

transcend the disciplinary limits of any single field, then the

open up new vistas of creativity and invention.

evaluative methods particular to a given discipline may not offer adequate measures of success or failure. New meth-

In order to understand the evolving relationship between

ods for ascertaining the value of the new hybrid outcomes of

art and technology in contemporary art (and vice-versa)

interdisciplinary collaboration must be developed just as new

one must grapple with the complex processes and products

methods for teaching, cultivating, and recognizing the value

that sustain and result from these collaborations. Scholar-

of hybrid scholars must emerge. Perhaps even new forms of

ship in this arena will require an interdisciplinary approach

critical and/or historical exegesis and means of publication

that joins together humanistic methods of interpretation

and distribution must be developed to articulate and convey

with social science methods of analysis. One might imagine a

the meaning and significance of evolving forms of interdis-

historian or critic simultaneously acting as ethnographer and

ciplinary creation.

management consultant, or collaborating with social scien-

On a philosophical level, if the fruits of hybrid research are

tists to undertake research. Despite the wealth of interdisci-

not strictly science, or engineering, or art, then one must

plinary research being undertaken, and despite the general

wonder about the epistemological and ontological status of

recognition that there are substantial challenges to collabo-

these hybrid forms: What exactly are they? What new know-

ration across disciplines, there is scant metacritical research

ledge do they produce or enable? What is their function in the

that studies best practices, working methods, and contextual

world? On a practical level, the future sustainability of hybrid

supports and hinderances. It is unclear, for example, to what

research depends on answering these questions, because the

extent models of interdisciplinary collaboration currently

academic careers of scholars whose work fuses disciplines

employed in industry can be applied to university research

will be cut short if their contributions are not recognized and

contexts. If the academy is serious about interdisciplinary

rewarded within the university. In order to pursue interdisci-

collaboration, then it must dedicate resources to study these

plinary collaboration as a full-time career, Klüver was forced

issues and to develop guidelines, training methodologies,

to quit a lucrative and secure job at Bell Labs and rely on

and project management techniques that will help fulfil the

philanthropic sources to fund E.A.T. and provide for his liveli-

promise of interdisciplinarity. As recent scholarship produced

hood. If universities are unable to adopt appropriate methods

by psychologist Brigitte Steinheider and artist Legrady

for evaluating and granting tenure to interdisciplinary pro-

suggests, collaborations between artists and engineers and

fessors, they will create a disincentive for future scholars to

Edward A. Shanken

13

pursue interdisciplinary work, disrupt the ability of existing interdisciplinary faculty to mentor future hybrid researchers, and prevent the ascension of interdisciplinary faculty to positions of power and authority in academe, where they can influence infrastructural change and facilitate the creation of new forms of invention, knowledge, and meaning

This paper was first presented in abridged form at Cyberart Bilbao in May 2004, an earlier version of this essay is forthcoming in Leonardo 38:5 (2005) as part of a special section of papers drawn from the panel, 'Artists in Industry and the Academy: Interdisciplinary Research Collaborations,' chaired by the author at the 2004 annual conference of the College Art Association. Reprinted by permission of Leonardo and The MIT Press.

14

1

Julie Martin, correspondence with the author, March 2, 2005. The statement was reprinted in E.A.T. News 1:3 (November 1, 1967): 5. Experiments in Art and Technology, "Trailer Introducing Ten Documentary Films from 9 evenings: Theatre & Engineering, October 13-23, 1966." VHS. Author’s transcription of Cage’s oral statement. 3 Billy Klüver, Interview with the author, September 19, 1997. 4 E.A.T. News 1:1 (January 15, 1967); 2. 5 Jeffrey Shaw, who, as Director of Visual Media at the ZKM, helped gain EU funding, has noted that "enlightened administrator" is not an oxymoron in the European context; rather, visionary administrators in Brussels recognize the broad and important implications of supporting the intersections of culture and technology, particularly of an international nature. (Jeffrey Shaw, Interview with the author, November 24, 2002, Karlsruhe.) 6 "About MARCEL: Arts Electric Interviews Don Foresta," February 4, 2005 http://www.arts-electric.org/articles/050204.foresta.html. 7 Other notable US reports include: Century, Michael. (1999). Pathways to Innovation and Culture, Centre for Research on Canadian Cultural Industries and Institutions / Next Century Consultants; Harris, Craig, ed. (1999) Art and Innovation: The Xerox PARC Artist in Residence Program. Cambridge: MIT Press; Jennings, Pamela (2000). "New Media Arts/New Funding Models"; Naimark, Michael (2003). Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Money: TechnologyBased Art and the Dynamics of Sustainability"; and Lizbeth Goodman and Katherine Milton, eds. (ND). A Guide to Good Practice in Collaborative Working Methods and New Media Tools Creation, AHDS Guides to Good Practice http://www.ahds.ac.uk/creating/guides/new-media-tools/ 8 See D. Plautz, (2005) "New Ideas Emerge When Collaboration Occurs" Leonardo vol 38 no 4: 302-9. 9 S. Diamond, "Degrees of Freedom-Models of Corporate Relationship: When Should 'Hands-Off' Be 'Hands-On,' When 'Hands-On', 'Hands-Off'? Paper delivered at the panel, "Artists in Industry and the Academy: Interdisciplinary Research Collaborations," 2004 College Art Association Annual Conference, Seattle. 10 H. Haacke, (1985) Museumas, Managers of Consciousness, in Rosalyn Deutsche, et al., Hans Haacke: Unfinished Business, ed. Brian Wallis (New York and Cambridge, Mass.: New Museum and MIT Press, 60-73. 11 E. Shanken, (November, 1998) "The House that Jack Built: Jack Burnham’s Concept of Software as a Metaphor for Art," Leonardo Electronic Almanac 6:10 12 For example, in 1968, Norman White used discarded digital circuits to construct First Tighten Up on the Drums, an artwork that may be considered a cellular automata. In 1996, Garnet Hertz, working in his garage in Sasketwan, built Interface, a web-based telerobotic system. 13 I am grateful to Jill Scott for an enlightening discussion of these matters, Zurich, May 6, 2004. 14 Other collaborators included Carolina Cruz-Neira, Tom DeFanti, Robert Kenyon, and John Hart. 15 See D. Cox, (1988) "Renaissance Teams and Scientific Visualization: A Convergence of Art and Science", Collaboration in Computer Graphics Education, SIGGRAPH ‘88 Educator’s Workshop Proceedings, (New York: ACM, 81 - 104. 16 See http://artexetra.com/biblio_interdisciplinary.html 17 For example, Rob Nideffer, Associate Professor of Studio Art and Information and Computer Science at UC Irvine earned a Ph.D. in Sociology with an interactive CD-ROM dissertation, perhaps the first of its kind. He fulfilled his thesis requirements for an MFA in Studio Art with an online artist’s book, a hard-copy book of code, a special issue of the online journal Speed, and a physical installation. 18 Legrady, G.,and Steinheider, B., (2004) "Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Digital Media Arts: A Psychological Perspective on the Production Process" Leonardo 37:4: 315-21. 19 Ibid. 2

WELCOMING UNCERTAINTY:

THE STRONG CASE FOR COUPLING THE

CONTEMPORARY ARTS TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Roger Malina

Introduction

face between the arts, sciences and engineering. This experi-

In this essay I want to begin to rebut the assertion that is

ence has convinced me that there is a new generation of art-

sometimes heard from critics that interdisciplinary work

ists emerging: 'New Leonardos'. These artists are sufficiently

between artists and scientists is the result of desperation.

scientifically and technically versed to influence the content

These critics argue that second-rate artists and second-rate

and direction of future science and technology.

scientists seek fashionable novelty within the context of commercial interest in cultural diffusion of new science and

In this text I want to concentrate on why it is desirable for

invention. The critics ask: Where are the masterpieces of new

science and technology to invest in deep art-science interac-

art? Where is the science and technology that would not have

tion. The reason why such interaction is also crucial for the

been developed without art-science interaction?

arts must remain the subject for a separate discussion.

The personal experience that informs my line of argument is of a dual nature. I am trained as an astronomer, with a

Towards a Network Metaphor of Crossed Linked Cultures

specialty in instrumentation for space observatories. I am

In my argumentation, I would like to avoid the common ar-

currently involved in a large international scientific consor-

ticulation of 'two cultures' that was popularized by C.P Snow

tium seeking to build a new space telescope.1 This observa-

when he gave the Rede lectures in 1959 entitled; 'The Two

tory would be dedicated to understanding the nature of what

Cultures and the Scientific Revolution'.3 I would also like to

are currently called 'dark matter' and 'dark energy'. These

avoid framing the discussion in terms of the simplistic dualism

recently discovered components of the universe seem to

that right brain/left brain analyses of creativity promotes.

account for 97% of the world we live in, whereas the kind of matter that we are made from accounts for perhaps 3%.

There are very good reasons why our societies have defined differing disciplines of the arts, sciences and engineering.

My approach to science has been through the design and

Individuals in these areas have different goals, success cri-

development of new types of instruments. These not only

teria and practical methodologies. However, as many analy-

provide more detail about the world we already know, but

ses have shown, see for instance the work of Robert Root

also reveal new phenomena and constituents of the universe.

Bernstein4, a significant fraction of creative individuals draw

I would emphasize two aspects of contemporary science:

upon a wide variety of sources of inspiration, methodology,

first, we are only just beginning to construct an inventory of

validation and experience, which cross simplistic disciplinary

the contents of the universe and the processes at work; sec-

boundaries. This is particularly true of individuals who reframe

ond, there is a strong contingency between what is knowable

or explore major developments in their disciplines. Most sci-

at a given time, and the cultural and technological stage of

ence is normative and need make no appeal to extra discipli-

human development.

nary sources for its advancement. However, here we are not focusing on normative science but on those individuals who

My other occupation is in the contemporary art world. For

are often prepared to work outside current paradigms, taking

the last twenty-five years I have served as the Executive

conceptual risks that sometimes lead to outcomes that would

Editor of the Leonardo publications. 2 Originally founded in

not otherwise have occurred.

1967 the Leonardo Journal is a peer reviewed scholarly journal that for almost forty years has documented the work of

Of course, the human brain and nervous system rely on high

artists involved with contemporary science and technology.

degrees of specialization and location of cognitive function.

Leonardo has published the work of perhaps 4000 creative

Neuroscience reveals in detail how the function of specializa-

individuals that have been working at this very difficult inter-

tion operates and conditions our experience, see for instance

Roger Malina

15

the recent work of Semir Zeki.5 However, I am even more

allow a more systematic problem solving to occur with either

impressed by the lines of analysis that emphasize the plasti-

artistic integrity or scientific rigor. This 'toggling' between a

city of cognition and the complex construction of perception

big picture, system view and a reductionist micro-view is a

within the social and physical environment. For example, this

good strategy for problem solving. I find it unsatisfactory to

ranges from the work in the ecology of perception by J.J.

oppose the frameworks of the 'science of complexity/emer-

Gibson 6 to the writings of Maturana and Varela7 on 'auto-

gence', and the theories of 'reductionism/causal' mechanistic

poeisis'. These researchers place an emphasis on the 'contin-

views. There are specific domains where each approach pre-

gent' nature of cognition and perception.

vails, but the different approaches also inform each other.

In my experience of interacting with artists, scientists and

Network metaphors are also useful in these discussions be-

engineers, I have been more impressed by the shared traits of

cause the roles of collaboration and the roles of teams have

personality and cognitive strategy than by their differences. I

grown in importance both in the arts and sciences/engi-

suspect that many of the dissimilarities we often attribute to

neering. Most creative individuals work in groups, usually in

differences between scientific and artistic cultures arise from

interdisciplinary frameworks, ranging from small groups of

the processes of our educational systems, rather than innate

individuals to larger teams of hundreds. Individuals 'enter'

proclivities or capacities.

the art/science/technology networks from different nodes, or roles, in various stages in their own work or lifetimes. And

I prefer therefore to make use of the popular network meta-

often it is the creative friction between dissimilar disciplines

phors which can be used to describe an 'ecology' of indi-

that create the conditions for unanticipated outcomes.

viduals and organizations that are the sources of new ideas,

Individual genius continues to be critical, especially within

concepts and practice needed to respond to the changing

such teams. One of the particular reasons for excitement

social and knowledge environment. Even though our insti-

today is the emergence of 'New Leonardos'. I have known

tutional structures are biased towards creating boundaries

artists who file more invention patents than most engineers

between disciplinary activities, ideas flow in a number of

do in a lifetime, and a number of widely exhibited artists also

ways between intellectual communities and there are many

have prominent careers in science and engineering, for exam-

collaborative structures today, which enable such transfers

ple Ken Goldberg.9 An increasing number of scientific articles

to occur rapidly.

acknowledge the research contribution of artists by including these artists as co-authors in the refereed publications.

Many universities have established interdisciplinary research institutes and industrial R&D labs have hired artists as re-

The Weak Case

searchers. However the goal of cross-disciplinary practice is

When C.P. Snow articulated his 'two cultures' argument, he

a very short circuit in some situations, which causes barriers

emphasized that the educational system tended to train poli-

in discourse and collaboration. If instead a network metaphor

ticians and government officials who were woefully ignorant

is used, this opens up the discussion of how the structure

of the basics of the science and technology of their time. Yet

of the networks affect what kinds of behaviours can occur;

many of the decisions these officials made involved complex

recent work in network and graph theory can inform these

issues arising from new scientific and technological discovery

discussions.

8

that affected many aspects of society and life.

There are very good reasons why people with shared problem sets develop both disciplinary and transdisciplinary approach-

This schism between cultures was even more notable in

es. Holistic modelling needs to be counterbalanced with

the area of the arts in 1959. At that time photography and

legitimate, narrow, reductive, disciplinary focus in order to

film had not yet been incorporated into art schools. Even

16

though electrical engineering and materials science were well

where their dreams and desires are fed by current knowledge

advanced, the art making of the time barely reflected the

and its extrapolations.

existence of all the new devices, materials and tools that are now available for artistic expression. The Bauhaus remained

Steve Wilson11 has documented the changing role of artists

an experiment that had not been re-visited since the 1920s.

and noted that many artists are becoming researchers. In

In addition the novel landscapes of the world were basically

his Leonardo book 'Information Arts', Wilson has shown

omitted from the artistic canon. Gyorgy Kepes call for artis-

that artists have explored the cultural connotations of all

tic appropriation of the whole landscape of the micro and

areas of scientific and engineering research. Since the mid-

macro-world was not just a call for the landscape to become

nineties a number of 'artist in residence' and 'art-science

accessible to the unaided human senses; it was in fact a revo-

collaboration' programs have been established within science

lutionary call.10

and technol-ogy institutions, descendants of the pioneering Experiments in Art and Technology (EAT) Programs of the

When the journal Leonardo was founded, its first simple

1960s. Artists have now invested time in almost every field

ideological assertion was: we live in a world where science

of science, from nano-science to space exploration, from

and technology are important factors in how humans live,

network theory to scientific visualization and biology.

therefore artists must appropriate all useful scientific knowledge and applicable tools for artistic expression. Natural-

The second argument within this Weak Case stems from

ly, all aspects of science and technology are not useful for

'innovation theory'. Scientific and technological research

the arts, but the act of cultural appropriation is essential.

evolves through a complex interaction of visible and public

A contemporary art must be cognizant of the contemporary

goals, institutional mechanisms, and the activity of individu-

world.

als and teams. There are now elaborate strategies for promoting invention and innovation, and many of these insist

The first step, which I will call the weak case, in arguing why

on the need to draw upon ideas and techniques from outside

we should encourage art-science interaction is related to the

the pre-defined domain under consideration. The argument

necessity to create art that is resonant with the human condi-

is that by promoting interaction between artists and scien-

tion today. There is an emerging large new body of artwork,

tists, or artists and engineers, there can be new contributions

which not only appropriates science and technology, but is

to the innovative approach to scientific or engineering prob-

distinctively the art of our times. The 26'000 entries to the

lems. This might cause better science, faster results and even

Ars Electronica are one source of such distinctive work. Here

better solutions. There is a small body of literature beginning

one can find a number of 'masterpieces' that will stand the

to document these developments.12

test of time. In the case of new technologies, artists can be also viewed as These artistic approaches are very important for science

proxies for social use and adaptation. The area of computer-

and technology of the future because students and children

human interface design is one area where a number of tech-

can be immersed in this contemporary culture, thus feeding

nological research labs have invested in artists so that they

the future of cultural imagination. As Jules Verne suggests

can be involved in new product development and testing

in his aphorism "What one person can imagine, another can

(for example Intel Corporation). The area of scientific 'visu-

invent." Indeed, the science fiction of Jules Verne is credited

alization', particularly the comprehension of large complex

with inspiring a whole generation of scientists and engineers.

data sets, is also one that has been ripe ground for artistic

Our children should surely grow up in a world where the cul-

involvement.

ture is deeply informed by science and technology a place

Roger Malina

17

The Strong Case

It is striking that if the history of technology had been differ-

The Strong Case for art-science is of a different order. I want

ent, or if the human senses had been designed around other

to argue that such art-science interaction is crucial not only

forms of energy than visible light, the history of the science

for setting the scientific agenda of the future, but because a

of astronomy would have been very different, and the state

changed science and redirected technology will emerge. We

of knowledge at a particular point in history would have been

accept that individuals such as Leonardo da Vinci, through

other.

art-science synthesis, drove changes in the content and methodology of future science and technology. The Strong

There is nothing inevitable, or planable, about the direction

Case argues that we are now in a new Renaissance where

and content of a science that is so contingent on techno-

such cases are beginning to occur again.

logical developments. One can imagine that taking a very large-scale view, looking at the development of science in

In science and technology there is nothing inevitable about

different extraterrestrial civilizations and over hundreds of

the way advances are made. Because discovery and invention

millennia, that the paths taken by science and technology

are deeply embedded in social and institutional contexts;

will be very different. This goes counter to the usual argu-

these define what problems are considered interesting, what

ments that science develops 'universals' that all cultures and

solutions are judged successful, and which areas are priori-

civilizations share. This may be true in an ultimate sense after

ties for funding. How different fields of science will develop

civilizations develop their science over a very long term but

is socially contingent. Whether it is much more important to

at a given point in their history, science and technology are

make research in climate change or sustainable development,

critically dependent on the biological and cognitive particu-

rather than say theoretical physics or human cloning, is no

larities of a given organism, and the specific cultural history

longer a scientific but a cultural question. These truisms are

it has taken.

often stated, but usually as the background to understanding the history of science. By intentionally intervening in the

The strong case argues that by including art in the scientific

social context we can change the direction that science and

environment and creating deep art-science coupling, a 'dif-

technology take.

ferent' kind of science or engineering will emerge.

As an astronomer I am struck that there are some things you

Welcoming Uncertainty

just cannot 'know', or even study, until the right tool or de-

Can we be more explicit about the ways to design deep art-

vice has been invented. The history of astronomy during the

science coupling?

last hundred years is somewhat unsettling. Astronomers have

As I have explained above, we are only at the beginning of

systematically opened up every portion of the electromag-

the process of understanding the contents of our world,

netic spectrum from x-rays to infrared to radio-waves. Each

what processes are occurring and which explanatory sys-

new generation of telescopes has of course provided us with

tems provide the best descriptive and predictive frameworks.

a wealth of detail about the world we only 'knew' about, and

Listening to public discussion of science and technology one

has allowed us to refine compelling theories and explanations

sometimes gets the impression of a rather linear and causal

of the nature and processes of the world. At the same time

way that science evolves; funding in one end, discoveries

many of these new instruments have revealed content and

occurring on a pre-defined road map of goals and objectives.

processes in the universe of which we were completely igno-

However I think that both this path of development and the

rant until that instrument was developed.

state of our knowledge is far more tentative than sometimes described.

18

In order to look at the ways that the arts and sciences could

our understanding of the human senses and their constraints,

interact, it is perhaps useful to discuss different constraints

this remains an active area of art-science exploration. In

on what is knowable at a given time, and identify each of

recent years, for instance, the topic of 'synaesthesia', a topic

these areas as points of artistic intervention.

of interest for hundreds of years, has regained a new importance, reflecting the new discoveries of neurobiology and

1. Constraints provided by the

cognitive science.

human senses be viewed as very efficient filters. The senses have devel-

2. Constraints provided by existing technologies

oped, under evolutionary pressure, to provide the organism

Due to the limitations of the human senses, and their remark-

with sufficient information to survive long enough to procre-

able effectiveness as filters, the history of science has been

ate. All other information processing, which provides addi-

largely one of overcoming these limitations.

From an epistemological point of view, the human senses can

tional metabolic load or unnecessary complexity is tolerated only to the extent that it does not reduce chances for survival

The first line of attack has been to augment the capabilities

of humans to their reproductive age.

of the human senses. Microscopes, telescopes, microphones

From this point of view, the way that scientific knowledge

and robotic space probes have extended the senses of sight,

has developed is an accident of human history. As empha-

sound and touch beyond the innate thresholds and ranges.

sized by Maturana and Varela, "all knowledge is conditioned by the structure of the knower".13

The second line of attack has been to extend the human senses into regimes where our senses do not have capabil-

The fact that human vision is optimized around the wave-

ity. Thus for astronomy, the whole electromagnetic spectrum

lengths of visible light led to the development of optical as-

has been opened up. Since many of these wavelengths are

tronomy and access to portions of the universe which could

blocked by the earth‘s atmosphere this has led to the devel-

be detected at these wavelengths. Had our senses been opti-

opment of space probes above the atmosphere.

mized around some other wavelength of light, and our planetary atmosphere transmitted this light, the sequencing of

The third line of attack has been to develop new kinds of

the study of the universe would have been different and our

senses to detect forms of energy of a different nature,

state of knowledge at a given time would have been other.

incompatible with the structure of human senses. Thus physicists now build gravitational wave detectors, tens

We happen to be organisms that are roughly two meters in

of kilometres in size and neutrino detectors have been

scale and live for 50-100 years. As a result we have focused

developed in polar ice.

our study on phenomena, which are commensurable in scale. Events which happen very rarely have escaped sustained

The systematic development of various prostheses to aug-

study and the nano-sciences are only just emerging as full

ment, extend and develop new senses leads to a sensory

fields of scientific inquiry. Had we been organisms with mil-

paradox. Today most of the information scientists have about

lion year lifetimes, or the scale of viruses, the history of sci-

the world is mediated through these prostheses and robots.

ence would have followed other paths.

Yet all our human intuition, language, and metaphorical sys-

Throughout human history artists have explored in depth the

tems are based on experience through the unaided human

capacities of the human senses; they have stretched their

senses. All devices and instruments hallucinate; and they also

range, and have embedded cultural meaning in sensory ex-

sometimes detect signals that are artefacts of their design.

periences. As science and technology continues to develop

The scientific method has developed criteria such as repeat-

Roger Malina

19

ability. These criteria get more and more difficult to apply.

in very non-linear complex systems. Even in mathematics

Artists are now working with the whole panoply of tech-

itself, computer proofs are now acquiring this status. Until

nological prostheses and instruments that scientists use.

such new approaches were developed, explanatory systems

Through this experience they will develop new forms of in-

for certain phenomena were beyond the imagination.

tuition, new vocabularies, new ways of imagining the world. We still struggle to understand that at the nano-level objects

Reviewing the plethora of conceptual and ontological 'blind

can be both particles and waves. This is because our daily

spots' that have existed and will continue to exist in our

unaided sensory experience fails to build our ontologies to

explanatory systems, one cannot but emphasise the uncer-

match the facts of phenomena that do not exist on our scale.

tainty in our current state of scientific knowledge. Forcing

We are only just beginning to imagine the world revealed

ourselves to re-state and re-examine the very basis of our ex-

through the use of our prostheses.

planatory system is not easy. Artists can contribute to these difficult questions.

3. Constraints provided by ontology

4. Theoretical limits

Every measurement entails a decision of what to measure.

In spite of the discussion so far, the current state of know-

It requires a priori a framework of what is sought as signal

ledge does give us a high confidence about certain limits to

and what will be discarded as noise. There are famous exam-

knowledge that appear to be independent of the explanatory

ples in science; for instance the first discovery of astronomi-

system. For instance, in quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg

cal gamma ray sources: a discovery of the comic microwave

uncertainty principle rules out simultaneous knowledge to

background where information discarded as 'noise', was sub-

infinite precision of linked quantities, such as position and

sequently re-analyzed as 'signal'. There are other examples

velocity. These appear to be fundamental limitations, which,

where the a priori ontology was so strong that data had to be

by themselves, introduce a basic uncertainty in measuring

filtered to confirm the ontology. Discordant but valid data,

certain quantities.

such as the first experiments to confirm the quantization of electronic charge, were discarded.

In general relativity, our understanding of gravity and its linking of space and time introduces the concept of the event

The reductionist method of isolating components of a system

horizon. As matter passes 'an event horizon', in a black hole

and treating them as isolated phenomena has been remark-

for instance, we lose the ability to extract information about

ably successful at providing explanatory systems for certain

the matter which is now within the 'event horizon'. We can

classes of objects and processes. However, the more recently

extract certain information such as the mass-spin and charge

developed sciences of complexity allow one to study phe-

of the black hole, but other quantities are masked. This is

nomena that are inaccessible to reductionist approaches.

an active area of research, but today we accept fundamental uncertainties on the structure and content of the universe

As emphasized for instance by Wigner, mathematics has

within an event horizon.

proved to be a remarkably effective system for providing descriptive and predictive structures for natural phenomena.14

In special relativity, we understand that the speed of light is

But mathematics itself is an evolving discipline. As a result,

a maximum speed. Although these ideas are being refined

certain kinds of explanations cannot be considered until the

in phenomena as 'quantum entanglement', our best under-

mathematical frameworks have been developed. The most

standing is that the speed of light implies an 'observable

recent example is the way that computer simulations have

horizon'. In our current model of the universe, the big bang

now acquired the status of 'theory' in science; for instance

occurred some 13 billion years ago. The big bang provides

20

us with a real horizon; light can only travel 13 billion light

The Five-Culture Metaphor

years since the big bang and we cannot observe the universe

I want to emphasise the network metaphor and view the art,

beyond this horizon.

science, and technology as a continuous network of cultures which provide ways to understand and act upon the world.

In other areas of science there are also constraints. In the

For the purpose of this discussion, I will separate the prob-

sciences of consciousness we understand through the con-

lem into five cultural 'nodes' because I think it helps pin-

cept of enacting, that the subjective experience of another

point some interesting areas of debate and new work today.

individual is fundamentally inaccessible to another observer.

But consistent with my network metaphor, I emphasize that

The cognitive experience results not only from the physical

this is not a 'unique' decomposition and neither are these

configuration of the organism, but due to the plasticity of

five cultures an 'orthogonal' set. Individuals may flow be-

the perceptual systems, also reflects the specific history of

tween cultures, playing different roles within the disciplinary

that organism. An observer and the observed organism do

'shared assumptions' of the connected community within

not have the same histories and therefore have fundamen-

that sub-region of the network.

tally differing subjective experiences. I also think it helps to examine the many 'asymmetries of Since its inception, science fiction has had a double track

discourse' that impact the way that ideas and collaborations

of imaging worlds that conform to the current theoretical

flow within the network. Noise may assume meaning in dif-

understanding of these limits to knowledge, and also

ferent contexts. Real networks have directionality and asym-

exploring worlds that do not. The work of artists will continue

metries, not all connections are bi-directional with the same

to develop the cultural imaginary, probing these theoretical

time constants or strength. Asymmetries may be cultural

limits to knowledge. The challenge is how to do this with

(language, geography), but also tied to the depth of know-

enough rigour and in ways that can feed back into science

ledge needed to enter into meaningful discourse.

and engineering.

Art, Design and Entertainment 5. The unimaginable

The first entry node is the art, design and entertainment cul-

When Newton struggled with how to describe and model

ture. Here I specifically want to tie the arts more closely to the

"action at a distance" in his theories of gravity, it was

applied arts and the rapidly growing complex of entertain-

imagining an appropriate explanatory system that posed

ment and communication industries that are becoming the

the greatest impediment. The break with mechanistic

largest employers of graduates of most art and technology

causality posed by quantum mechanics is primarily a

programmes. I think this coupling is structural and represents

conceptual problem. The sciences of complexity struggle

a significant evolution since Snow‘s essay. At that time the

with how to develop models and explanations for phenomena

film and television industries were beginning their rapid de-

that arise bottom-up and cannot be described in closed-form

velopment but a discussion of the arts, and even more so the

mathematical descriptions. Physicists struggle with build-

literary arts in Snow‘s essay, was always closely coupled to

ing unified theories of gravity and quantum mechanics; the

the academic world, the emerging art market, the humanities

necessary leap of imagination eludes them.

and academic scholarship. Today the art market and museum

The following 'Gedanken' (thought) experiment appeals to

world are becoming rapidly irrelevant to the electronic arts.

me; if Leonardo da Vinci were presented with a multi-media

The computer games industry, the special effects studios

cell phone, could he possibly build a successful, explanatory

and the web-design industries are growing cultural sectors.

system, with a predictive power for the phenomena he would

The R&D budgets in the design and entertainment industries

observe?

are large enough to drive computer science and engineering

Roger Malina

21

agendas, which in return feeds back into the technologies

marketing and global redeployment.

available for scientific research.

The fourth node is actually a set of cultures tied to a number of 'world views' within which science and technology will de-

The second node is science, very much as Snow described

velop. As I have described earlier the discourse of the 1950s

it in the 1950s. I want to re-emphasize that the connection

and 1960s was suffused with the expectation that science

between science and government is even closer than was

would spread universally and with it the prerequisites for

the case in Snow‘s time. Snow made, I think, a compelling

development and social stability. Even though science re-

argument for the coupling of science and technology, into

mains universally applicable, the social optimism does not

what was known in the 1970s as techno-science. Yet over the

seem to have been confirmed. Indeed in a well-connected

past fifty years governments have played an increasing role

world the differences between varieties of worldviews be-

in deciding which basic science projects are developed. The

come more apparent. Such world views may have science as a

most notable recent example is the human genome project,

component, but metaphysical systems, histories of religious

a project with strong ideological underpinnings and a back-

practice, ethnic and linguistic specialization play important

ground of commercial exploitation. More recently, the US

and determining roles in the direction of change. Different

government has decided that the next priority for NASA is

societies emphasize different areas of science as priorities

the exploration of the solar system leading to human colo-

in their government funding structures both for economic

nies on the Moon and Mars. This decision will fundamentally

and societal or worldview reasons. Within the electronic arts

determine what kind of space science is developed over the

community there is a long history of working in a variety of

next fifty years. Scientific research does of course take place

cultural contexts. Electronic artists as a social group seem to

in industrial settings but the 'customer' is so different that

be trans-national and yet have emphasized explorations of

there is a growing gulf between science and technology. It is

'identity' and cultural difference. Few electronic artists, as

rare for the majority of scientists, predominantly in govern-

stated above, subscribe to the search for art universals as one

ment-funded organizations, to share cultural fundamentals

of their goals. There are a number of different worldviews in

with the research engineers who use the same established

co-existence, and there will continue to be, but there is leak-

scientific knowledge.

age between worlds.

The third node is technology within an ecology that is domi-

I want to separate out 'Situation' as the fifth node, as a way

nated by funding in the corporate world. I want to persist in

of making locality visible as a network determinant. The tru-

separating science and technology and tie technology much

isms about the articulation between global and local take

more closely to industry. Snow wrote at a time when the cou-

specific meaning within network theory. We understand from

pling of nuclear science to nuclear and defence industries

complexity theory, that local rules can determine emerging

was a key area of science-technology coupling. Today we talk

phenomena in ways that cannot be described in closed-form,

of the 'information society' because of the mutation in the

theoretical, top-down descriptions. Work at boundaries

corporate world that has taken place. The cell-phone indus-

can employ a variety of strategies from collaborative teams

try, and computer game industries, have become an impor-

(pooled resources for a shared outcome), consortia (coordi-

tant employer of artists from art and technology programs,

nated resources for parallel or divergent outcomes) and col-

but their products are not driven by advances in scien-

lectives (shared resources for a multiplicity of outcomes). This

tific knowledge, and only secondarily by breakthroughs in

creates a 'new connectionism'15 where cultural development

technology. There are thousands of unused technological

can be viewed semi-organically in terms of a 'global mind'.16

inventions in the files of academic and corporate R&D labs.

Electronic artists have been at the vanguard of exploration

Product drivers are those of social acceptance and use,

of a variety of collaborative, interdisciplinary strategies and

22

explorations of telecommunication technologies.17 Collabo-

1

Supernova Acceleration Probe web site at: http://snap.lbl.gov/brochure/ Leonardo/ISAST web site http://www.leonardo.info. The Leonardo publications are published by MIT Press. 3 Snow, C.P., (1998) The Two Cultures, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK 4 Root-Bernstein, R.S., (1989) Discovering, Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA 5 Zeki, S., (1999) Inner Vision: an Exploration of Art and the Brain, Oxford University Press, Oxford 6 Gibson, J.J., (1979) The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception, Houghton Mifflin, Boston 7 Maturana, H. and Varela, F. (1992). The Tree of Knowledge: The biological roots of human understanding, Shambala, Boston and London. 8 Barabasi, A-L, (2002) Linked: The New Science of Networks, Perseus, New York. 9 See Ken Goldberg‘s web page at http://www.ieor.berkeley.edu/~goldberg/ 10 Kepes, G., (1956) The New Landscape in Art and Science, P. Theobald, Chicago. 11 Wilson, S., (2003) Information Arts, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. 12 Fishwick, P., (2005) Aesthetic Computing, MIT Press,Cambridge, MA: Also for a comprehensive www site on the history of art, technology and science collaborations see-http://online.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/wilson.artlinks. org.html 13 Maturana, H. and Varela, F. (1992). The Tree of Knowledge: The biological roots of human understanding. Shambala, Boston and London. 14 Wigner, E., (1960) The Unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences, in Communications in Pure and Applied Mathematics, Vol. 13, No. I, John Wiley & Sons, New York. 15 Malina, R.F., (DATE) Towards a cultural connectionism, http://www.straddle3.net/context/02/020612_cultural_connectionism.en.html 16 Bateson, G., (1972) Steps to Ecology of Mind, Balantine Books, New York. 17 Ascott, R. and Loeffler, C., (1991) Art and Interactive Telecommunications, Leonardo Vol.24,Nr.2. 2

ration, network and management theory indicate smaller groupings than 300 individuals are optimal (open source software is perhaps a counter example). Even in a very well connected world, the 'cluster' of up to 300 individuals is a particularly important actor in adaptation and evolution. The 'local' node also encapsulates the way an individual or small group, through unexpected discovery and invention, can redirect the direction of research and development.

Concluding Remarks In this essay I have sought to articulate two sets of arguments that motivate the current interest in deep art-science interaction. The weak case argues that through such interaction we create a contemporary culture that is infused with current scientific knowledge, and this in turn feeds the dreams and desires of future generations of scientists and engineers. Secondly, art-science interaction is a mechanism for inter-disciplinary innovation that can lead to better science and technology. The strong case argues that because the future of science and technology are open, deep art-science interaction can fundamentally alter the content and direction of future research. This new science agenda will be more deeply embedded in the cultural imaginary and be more responsive to tomorrow‘s cultural needs. I have emphasized that we need to consider deep art-science coupling in a number of important interface areas within a linked cultural network metaphor, as opposed to C.P.Snow‘s art-science duality. This is more reflective of the ways that ideas are generated and spread in today‘s culture. These are early days. There are perhaps no more than 300 artists today engaged in these deep art-science collaborations. With a sustained multi-year investment,' the new Leo-nardos' will expand the renaissance under way today.

Roger Malina

23

SUGGESTED TRANSDISCIPLINARY DISCOURSES FOR MORE ART_SCI COLLABORATIONS Jill Scott Many artists are searching for fruitful practical collabora-

know-how transfer is becoming more controversial, as sci-

tions with scientists and ways of bringing their findings into

entists realize that researchers need leaders who have more

the public realm for debate. Here, I wish to help artists in

of an overview. Most scientists in educational institutions

this search by addressing some transdisciplinary discourses,

define scientific investigation as a scientific method and

which may also 'open up' scientists to more creative inter-

process for evaluating empirical knowledge. However, less

pretations. My premise is that more beneficial art and sci-

formally, there is a growing discourse in science circles about

ence collaborations might depend on these discourses, which

the word 'science'. Could any field of study that is system-

are based in education, innovation, ethics and social public

atic or the knowledge gained from that field of study be also

engagement. I will use specific examples from the artists-

called 'science'? Could scientific knowledge be embedded in

in-labs research initiatives in the Life Sciences, physics and

language, culture or traditions as well as methods? These ap-

engineering/computing and other contexts to illustrate this

proaches to science are referred to as 'situated knowledge'

premise. The first discourse I wish to address is about know-

and many fields of science, which normally evaluate empirical

how transfer and its relation to language, immersion and

knowledge, are starting to look into this concept. Thus the

creativity. The second will explore ethics in relation to artis-

experimental approach, the search for first-hand informa-

tic interpretations of reality and the responsibilities of pro-

tion, or theory, the development of models to explain what

ducing scientifically robust knowledge for the general public.

is observed, might be influenced by other research factors,

The final discourse will investigate innovation and its social

which are dependent on place or economics or culture.

impact, including converging technologies, information

In comparison, does art also have an epistemology or a the-

and the products of progress. Obviously each of these top-

ory of knowledge? Usually art does not evaluate empirical

ics is large enough for a book of its own; consequently, this

knowledge but it does rely heavily on 'situated knowledge',

essay should be read as a possible set of guidelines to 'open

because it is a reflection and interpretation for local cultural

up' these debates. If any science café, scientist or exhibition

appreciation in the art world. Contemporary art might also

curator would like to re-appropriate them for further discus-

involve the critical study of the naturally occurring world or of

sions they are most welcome. As an artist, educator and a

human behaviour, technology and society. In Germanic coun-

context provider I sincerely hope that these issues might be

tries, science (Wissenschaft) is often divided between basic

publicly debated in relation to transdisciplinary research. In

(empirical knowledge) and applied science (the application of

this light these discourses are not so obvious or common-

research to human needs). Artists are currently stepping into

place; instead they trace some fundamental problems in the

these research boundaries of science and they are using the

collaborative practice of art and science.

methods of empirical research like ethnographical studies, to

The disciplines of artists and scientists are very different.

analyze social questions. Currently, I am a research professor

Nevertheless, some sharing of ideologies could become a

in the Institute, Cultural Studies in Art, Media and Design at

solid base for valuable innovation, production, distribution

the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Zurich. Cultural

and socio-cultural consumption potentials. Artists are begin-

studies are no longer confined to the theories of post-colo-

ning to understand scientific methodologies and scientists

nial discourse or gender studies. The study has expanded to

are beginning to see the value of aesthetics and communica-

include an analysis of cross-cultural ethnographical studies

tion skills by artists. Unfortunately, the exchanges of these

and the influences and traces of transdisciplinary theory and

skills are often hindered by prevailing controlled and guarded

practice. The theoretical side of transdisciplinary research has

specialist attitudes of educational institutions.

exciting and novel potentials, but the practical side of this juncture is much harder for educators to implement. In the

1. Situated Know-How Transfer

case of art and science education, transdisciplinary practice

Today, in science institutions, the specialist’s concept of

requires mixed laboratories with both art and science tools.

24

Imagine a lab with professional tools for tissue engineering,

the audience into consideration. The term 'situated know-

video editing, design prototyping and nanotechnology for

how transfer' automatically implies the willingness to cede

example. Apart from the obvious financial problems of con-

information from one person to another without any level

structing such a mixed lab, where transdisciplinary practices

of snobbery.4 In relation to art and science collaboration,

can be taught, educators themselves would have to be open

further discussions about this type of information transfer are

to the prospects and controversies of transdisciplinary team-

necessary. These might focus on the topics of language and

teaching. SymbioticA, at the University of Western Australia,

metaphor, contextual immersion and relational creativity.

has proved that it might be more appropriate to offer a lab, which combines only two specific disciplines like biotechno-

1.1 Language and Metaphor

logy and sculpture.1 Mixed disciplines our artists-in-labs

Firstly, within the transfer of knowledge between artists

project operated along similar lines. Dr. Ulrich Claessen

and scientists, artists are asking if more sensitive and ap-

from the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology

propriate metaphors could be found to understand scientific

Basel claimed that the artist’s role inside science labs was to

research. Secondly, they are discussing how to deal with the

provide a 'soft' and 'social communication' factor for their

learning curve of their own scientific knowledge. The aim

over-specialized scientific teams.2

of both these quests is to communicate more deeply with

In the past, many artists have been employed or commis-

scientists. For example, in relation to metaphors, under-

sioned to make works for science parks, like the 'Explorato-

standing the terminology in physics is very important. When

rium' in San Francisco, USA or 'Technorama' in Winterthur,

PSI scientists explained how their cosmic-ray detector could

Switzerland. Here, artists who specialize in natural pheno-

detect and measure muon particles,5 they used the metaphor

mena, like Ned Kahn,3 work alongside science teams who

of a dinner plate to describe how 60 muons cover its sur-

wish to illustrate the basic principals of disciplines like

face every second. Eating is an every day activity and in this

physics or biology with the hope of enhancing the general

case one can imagine that muons are constantly landing on

public’s comprehension and understanding of science. One

one’s food. The artist Nigel Helyer took the same phenom-

could say that they help scientists to 'validate' their knowl-

ena and applied it to a sound composition, where the parti-

edge, but not to 'situate' it. Usually, these artists have been

cles trigger sound samples from a sound library with various

hired into such teams because of their learnt skills in com-

pre-recorded samples from the PSI environment. Scientists

munication and their own past history of illustrating or in-

are trained in finding everyday metaphors in order to explain

terpreting science. At the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen,

their research, but artists are trained in finding poetic meta-

Switzerland a similar mini science park exists, called the PSI

phors, which they believe have more public impact. Instead

Forum. One of the artists-in-lab recipients, Dominik Bas-

of using metaphors based in generalizations and language,

tianello, worked with the technicians to make an interactive

the contemporary poetic metaphor is more based on thought

video sculpture that served as a unique platform to illustrate

or on conceptual associations. As Lakoff suggests 6, artists

aspects of Einstein’s theory of relativity. While Bastianello’s

and writers learn that there are many conceptual types of

illustration allows the public to understand a difficult scien-

poetic metaphors. There are structural metaphors related to

tific principal, other artists like Nigel Helyer tried to actually

the concept of dimension, whose dimensional associations

integrate aspects of physics into a public sculpture, which

may change with differing cultures, another type is about

also educates the art audience. Both approaches worked

orientation and these occur when structures are experienced

by making the invisible, visible but they involved 'situated

in terms of spatial orientation. A third might be ontologi-

knowledge transfer' between the technicians and the art-

cal metaphors, which occur when our experiences are struc-

ist in-situ. If knowledge is 'situated' it must include the

tured in terms of abstract phenomena or in terms of concrete

surrounding cultural and contextual field as well as take

textures, forces, and objects. It would be interesting to see

Jill Scott

25

COLD/HARD/SCIENCE

WARM/SOFT/ART

other’s accumulated knowledge and the associated means

Reliable

Mutable

of expressing it. While, the mantle of science often seems

Well-defined

Ill-defined

to confer an unquestioned intellectual and moral superiority

Comprehensible

Not comprehensible

upon those who assume it, I also wonder about the hierarchy

Sharp

Flaccid or spongy

that endows some artists with the moral and intellectual hau-

Precise

Imprecise

teur to look down on other disciplines. The English scientist

Difficult

Easy

Lewis Wolpert states, art cannot be taken seriously because it is "not constrained by reality". He also suggests that to try to bring the arts and sciences together is basically just "social snobbery as scientists are still envious of the status of the

what would happen if scientists were to start to explore more

arts and the humanities".9 Therefore, competition is another

poetic metaphors. Would a more common transdisciplinary

factor to consider in this lack of respect, a factor which can

language evolve? I would like to suggest that our current

also happen within one discipline. For example, in the Plan-

mediated and literate public might be interested to replace

etarium we had some difficulties in this regard. However, the

the older language stereotypes, based on archetypical meta-

situation between art and science will not improve if collabo-

phors for more conceptual poetic metaphors. In science edu-

rators are unprepared to learn about each other’s processes

cation, one of these main older language stereotypes is the

and knowledge.

metaphor of 'soft' and 'hard'. As Swiss psychologist Burton

Particularly, more difficulties will arise if artists refuse to

Melnick7 recently wrote about gender sensitive metaphors,

take on the responsibility of acquiring more robust scientific

one of the most problematic categories of science is the di-

knowledge before commenting on or attempting to collabo-

viding concept of the sciences as either 'hard' or 'soft'. These

rate with scientists. Certainly popular science can serve as an

label physics, computer science and mathematics as 'hard'

initial educational interface for artists to understand scien-

sciences, and psychology, sociology and the arts as 'soft' or

tific concepts, but the reading of science textbooks and glos-

human sciences. As can be seen from the diagram above, the

saries or the attending of lectures, seem to be necessary for a

division has problematic connotations.

higher level of communication. For example, at the Artificial

Melnick concludes that it is extremely difficult to dissolve

Intelligence laboratory, some communication problems oc-

these stereotypes but it is brave to try. In the artists-in-labs

curred because the artist did not share the same definitions

project Dr. Ulrich Claessen from the Swiss Centre for Elec-

as the Artificial Intelligence scientists. Terms like 'embodied'

tronics and Microtechnolgy CSEM often commented that the

or 'morphology' were often misappropriated by the artists,

artist Margaret Tan had amazing organisational skills com-

but if artists learnt more about Artificial Intelligence terms,

bined with reliability and precision. Many scientists think that

the communication level definitely improved. During her

the humanities are full of soft or wobbly or airy attitudes. Old

artists-in-labs residency, Adrianne Wortzel attended the

metaphors can cause conservative judgements and problem-

postdoc research updates, related lectures, debates and col-

atic shifts in respect, an issue that needs to be taken into

laborative work presentations at the Artificial Intelligence lab

account in relation to the future of art/sci collaboration.

and developed much more appropriate evolutionary meta-

Rich Gold ex-mediator of the artist in residence program at

phors, which featured the Artificial Intelligence lab’s robots

Xerox Park, USA said: "Engineering, science, art and design

and embedded the scientific research of the lab with a deeper

are different, the problem is to create a language to speak to

meaning. In most cases, after several months of the artists-

each other with respect".8 Gold concluded that the problem

in-labs residencies, the artists’ vocabulary had changed and

of collaboration lay not in the fact that these disciplines were

grown considerably, but more preparation would have cer-

different, but that there was a basic lack of respect for each

tainly helped. However, the learning curve of the artist, was

26

accelerated by the daily immersion in the lab context with its

education to be very focused on the mimicry of proven pro-

peers and associated discourses.

cesses and procedures, but interactions and implications in a given field of related research are important as well. Certainly

1.2 Contextual Immersion

deeper immersion in a particular scientific research project

Contextual immersion is revered in both art and in science

and its related cultural context was a creative and inspiring

as one of the most valuable ways to transfer knowledge. In

experience for Axel Vogelsang. Immersion in the lab context

social science, one can find interesting discourses in this re-

can become a good starting point for new educational ap-

gard. According to Sandra Caravita, the lab context is so fun-

proaches to transdisciplinary practice. However, do scientists

damental for learning and for the exchange of information

want to learn anything about creativity from artists?

that education is problematic without it.10 She also suggests that a scientist must actively build knowledge through the

1.3 Relational Creativity

personal interpretation of his/her experience, but must share

Currently the concept of creativity is a very controversial and

this experience not only with peers but also with 'outsiders'.

hotly debated topic in some scientific circles. But I cannot

What would be the value of the artist being this 'outsider'?

think of many university science courses with similar levels of

In their reports many of the lab directors say that the art-

creative thinking and communication skills than one can find

ists were important objective outsiders and social catalysts

in art and design schools. Could there also be a scientists-in-

for the scientists because they enjoyed hearing about their

art residency program? Art training begins with a combina-

work. If the artist is lucky enough to accompany a scientific

tion of abstract or controversial thematic topics and basic

researcher on a specific experiment, then perhaps the operative

skill assignments in an attempt to inspire creative thinking.

involvement, the exploring of ideas and reality, and placing of

Many scientists question if creative training should enter into

the hypotheses into practice could be affected by the artist’s

the process of applied scientific research and often suggest

feedback. I call this concept the 'artist-as-researcher' and it

that artists should wait until the research results can be pub-

is is in accordance with Caravita’s idea that knowledge build-

lished and/or applied before any design is commissioned. The

ing "receives promotion from the cultural environment and

engineers at CSEM told us that designers mostly enter the

the social interactions that accompany the learner’s explora-

picture after their production was completed and ready for

tions".

the public. However, there are a growing variety of responses

Watching people work, also provides an essential insight into

about this question, depending on the individual project and

the life and mind of scientific inquiry. Other artists at the

the type of scientific research involved. While creativity is

Centre for Microscopy ZMB were given a 'hands-on' educa-

widely discussed in neuroscience it is hardly discussed in

tion on tools like the Scanning Electron Microscope. As the

physics, mathematics, computing and biotechnology labs.

artist N.S. Harsha elaborates in his report, mimicking others

Certainly, new creative approaches are also sorely needed

was an essential part of his learning process. According to the

to entice women to become more interested in these par-

English psychologist Susan Blackmore, mimetic actions are

ticular areas of science education. Last year our artists-in-

causal and often unintentionally adopted.11 However, besides

labs team conducted a gender survey with Arts Catalyst in

being an ability, which distinguishes human from animals,

London and The Art and Genomics Centre in Amsterdam.12

learning by imitation is actually quite a complex scenario,

Differing attitudes towards creativity seem to be the cause of

one has to make the decision to imitate a process, do what

an enormous gender imbalance in many European countries

counts as the same or similar, make a complex transformation

in these particular science departments. As statistics prove,

from one view to another, and finally match bodily actions. In

women are under represented in science.13 In reference to the

2005, I was a participant in an intensive biotech beginner’s

'relation between creativity and science' discourse on a theo-

workshop in London run by SymboticA. I found Life Science

retical level, the social scientists in the US are leaders in this

Jill Scott

27

field. For example, in Evelyn Fox Keller’s book 'The Century

poetic metaphors and communication design skills, then art

of the Gene', she proclaimed that the few women who are en-

can help. For contemporary artists 'real' information is not

gaged in genetic research always provide a much "more crea-

taboo and they particularly like more socially conscious sci-

tive social approach".14 The science question in feminism has

entists. Most of the directors of our artists-in-labs group told

also been raised very thoroughly by Sandra Harding. Hard-

me they had made friends with other contemporary artists in

ing clearly states: "Perhaps we should turn to our novelists

the past whose original approaches had impressed them.

and our artists for a better grasp of what we need, because to respond point by point to a cultures defences of ways of

2. Ethics and Artistic Interpretation for the Public

being in the world."15 Donna J. Haraway claims that artists

The day-to-day grind of working in a shared art and science

who acquire solid information about science bring very sensi-

laboratory may not only help to improve conversation about

tive issues to the public for scrutiny.16 Currently we are in the

relational creativity, it may also tend to include the search for

process of forming a Relational European Art and Science

a wider discourse about ethics. Currently in the Institute for

Network17, so that we can explore solutions to the issue of

Geobotanics at the ETH Zurich, they cultivate test fields for

shared creativity, by training more artists in science. Perhaps,

Genetically Modified Organisms and at the same time they

we can also harness the potentials of transdisciplinary prac-

conduct large international risk assessments of such activi-

tice to involve women in a more creative approach to science.

ties, especially in developing countries. The artist Thomas

If for example, mature women artists were trained in scientif-

Isler was indeed surprised to find that so many conflicting

ic fields, could they produce mediated art and design works

viewpoints could simultaneously exist inside one field of

which emphasise the creative potentials of scientific inquiry?

research. Unfortunately, the general public is often pre-

These works could also be distributed to secondary schools,

sented with only black and white arguments about GMOs. In

where any alternative role models are sorely lacking. Women,

another lab, the Centre for Microscopy ZMB in Basel, teams

who abound in the arts, may bring an interesting controversy

of pharmaceutical researchers use the lab for many different

with them, one that cognitive scientists are already question-

research topics such as the study of surgically manipulated

ing: Is creativity only relational or does it grow with transdis-

fruit flies for behavioural research or the research on cellu-

ciplinary influence? Once Jacob Bronowski suggested that

lar transplant potentials for cardiovascular diseases. Artists

the act of discovery in both art and science were similar. The

in such environments are often interested in the challenge

"discoveries of science, the works of art, are explorations -

to bring such controversial research to the public. This is

more, are explosions of a hidden likeness. The discoverer or

why it is really important for them to understand the debate

the artist presents in them two aspects of nature and fuses

thoroughly even though they might have quite different

them into one. This is the act of creation, in which an origi-

approaches than the scientists to the task at hand. These

nal act is born, and it is the same act in original science and

approaches include:

they are professionally less conditioned than we (scientists)

18

original art". Both similar and different attitudes towards

-artists who wish to explore how scientists work and how

creativity need further discussion.

they construct their international and political debates (Thomas Isler, Shirley Soh)

The above discourses on situated knowledge, language and

-artists who see themselves as informed activists and wish

metaphor, contextual immersion and relational creativity

to help scientists conduct their critical enquiries and to shift

constitute a starting point for further dialogue between art

public decision-making (Brandon Balengee19)

and science; one that reinforces the need for more practical

-artists who claim that the actual wet and alive materials from

experiments and a re-thinking about transdisciplinary educa-

the biotech labs could be used as a raw art material for sculpture

tion. If science educators are looking for more sensitive and

(Orien Catts20) or who actually crossbreed animals as a genetic

28

comment with their associated shock value (Eduardo Kac 21).

community of interdependent parts." By this he means that

In all of these approaches, poetic metaphors are used to con-

each individual voice counts as part of a potential strategy

vey conflicts, interpretations and research results to a wider

to present a more holistic viewpoint to the general public.

general public, or alternatively, to an already informed or

In this light I would consider art as a main player to transfer

ethically literate art audience. Often, the wider public realm

science to the public. Firstly, artists pride themselves on their

requires a simplification of the artwork and a set of activist

freedom of speech and they are not frightened to say what

strategies. Scientists also have a problem modifyinging com-

they think. Secondly, they are concerned with artistry.

plex research for the public, however, the discussion point I

As artists-in-labs recipient Shirley Soh says, in rela-

wish to raise here is not if artists or scientists should be activ-

tion to the interpretation of scientific ethics, "the art-

ists, but rather if and when they choose to combine forces,

istry in art comes not only in deciding what to say but

could they find new activist strategies which can cause a

also in how to say it. I am always searching for the 'one'

public outcry and in turn might effect the decisions of poli-

image, which might have the power to make an ethical

ticians? Considering the terrible state of our planet’s envi-

comment really clear." These skills of finding unique visual

ronmental future, I would like to suggest that brainstorming

metaphors for the public are learnt by trial and error with

sessions about these strategies could help.

feedback from art educators and audiences. Thirdly, the corridor of communication from science to the public about

2.1 Shared Bio-Ethics

ethics is often stifled by conformity or middle of the road

Formal debates about holism and the future of environ-

pressure from science peers. One can find 'critical resistance

mental and biotechnological research might help transdis-

from within' in many environmental science labs, but the

ciplinary collaborations to increase. Some of these debates

pressure to conform to the stoic methodologies of science

have been organized by Science Cafés in Scandinavia, Paris

often requires these resisters to dampen their radicalism.

and the USA 22, and also by the Welcome Trust in London23,

According to Angelika Hilbeck from the Institute for Geobo-

whose main focus is medicine and art. These events share the

tanics at the ETH Zurich, scientists must always be seen as

proof that the public not only wishes to be engaged in con-

standing in the middle of an informed debate. Fourthly, as

troversies, but that new ways to explain scientific research

Isabel Rohner discovered, some scientists at the ZMB in Ba-

are sorely needed. If more artists were interested in these

sel thought that objective discovery in relation to peer pres-

debates, then the audio-visual interpretation of ethically du-

sure was a more important publicly visible factor to consider,

bious science could also be further discussed in public. The

rather than ethics. These four points are important factors to

24

Welcome Trust and its related links claim that such events

consider in relation to ethics and the public realm. Naturally

can help science become more accountable for its research

from the scientists’ perspective it is problematic to determine

initiatives. I would suggest that more artists attend these

what the "interests" of a living thing should be. Should they

events, instead of confining themselves to art and science

be required to see themselves as trustees or guardians for

events prepared for them by art related organizations.

all of the many endangered species or for the future of the

Many people think that ethical discussions are difficult and

planet’s ecosystem? Considering the above comments, activ-

they probably always will, but artists who attend hearings

ists strategies might focus on the ability of western cultures

about scientific conflict will also raise their knowledge about

to live more humbly, rather than consume such a large per-

the public understanding of science. This factor would assure

centage of the worlds resources. While 'nature' has a great

them a larger role to play and claim them a unique voice. On

history in art, the Life Sciences are searching for the delicate

the main www-site for the Earth Charter25, one can find a

margins necessary for sustainability. For eco-activist art-

famous quote by Aldo Leopold from 1949. "All ethics rest

ists like Brandon Ballengée, Shirley Soh and Tiffany Holmes

upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a

the quest for sustainable systems are issues that they share

Jill Scott

29

with many biologists. Ballengée believes in assisting local

companied the scientists tended to romanticize ice as a beau-

communities in a move towards sustainable developments,

tiful sculptural material instead of constructing artworks,

while Holmes looks for ways to raise public awareness and

which engage the public in the actual ethical debate at hand.

help manage local resources. If there were more practical and

Therefore, the issue of artists being properly pre-exposed to

provoking contributions to the ethical debate by artists (par-

the role of scientific research and resultant proofs is an im-

ticularly without the interference of religious morals), then

portant aspect to consider for the future of transdisciplinary

some new strategies might be found. These contributions

collaborations. As the artists in the ZMB, Centre for Micros-

might encourage more transdisciplinary collaboration with

copy, N.S. Harsha and Isabel Rohner discovered during their

scientists. As artists like Thomas Isler, Tiffany Holmes and

artists-in-labs residencies, the lab context is also an 'agora'

Brandon Ballengée have discovered, the most beneficial way

because artists are not only there to learn about the ethical

to start working with scientists is to participate in their field

issues at hand but about the importance of data analysis.

trips and help collect empirical evidence for environmental

By discussing these corridors of environmental exchange,

science. Not only do the artists learn a great deal about data

the hope is that an artist could also produce an artwork with

analysis, but perhaps at those late night fireside talks, scien-

more scientifically robust knowledge, one that also takes into

tists feel freer to give their true opinions, outside the walls

account the intelligence of the audience.

of their institutions. science at the National Endowment for Science, Technology

2.2 Scientifically Robust Knowledge for the Public

and Art (NESTA)26 in the UK, currently recommends funding

How accurate does an artwork have to be about scien-

for collaborative thematic spaces or field trips and thematic

tific content? When the directors of the science labs in our

expeditions when artists and scientists can spend time to-

project thought that artists were interested in shock value as

gether. Using the term 'agora' to mean a substantial creation

an ethical tactic, they equated this tactic to a tabloid news

of time and space in which ethical discussions can take place

style, which damages the image of scientific research. In-

and ideas can flow, NESTA hopes to create transparent new

stead, they preferred artists with more considered goals who

approaches to ethical issues. Using an interesting ecological

were excited about the specific research being undertaken in

metaphor, he likens the creation of these contextual spaces

the lab itself. They also preferred artists who had some prior

to the creation of 'green corridors' in biology. In biology,

experience with bringing results to the public. 29 They asked

these corridors are not isolated biotopes, but holistic fields

me if I thought that the artists would make careful notes

and communities, which can promote diversity exchange.

about what questions scientists themselves were asking?

However, the artists one should invite for such a journey

After some months in the labs, the artists experienced how

should be carefully chosen, with some prior background in

science research programs are supported and how theoreti-

the Life Sciences. In another project funded by Greenpeace,

cal disputes are resolved among peer groups. They became

This is one of the reasons why Dr. Loyd Anderson, director of

27

entitled Cape Farewell, David Buckland sailed to Antarctica

educated in specific goals of research and learnt how to op-

with a group of scientists, artists, journalists, musicians, TV

erate in the labs. This allowed them to legitimately comment

camerapersons and high school teachers. Inspired by a book

on the value of a given science experiment in an accurate

entitled "The Future of Ice" by Gretel Ehrlich28, the aim was

fashion. There are other artist-in-resident programs which do

to make creative works about global warming alongside the

not allow the artist to work alongside the scientists inside the

collection of empirical measurements about the effects of

labs. Director Dianne Bowles from the Centre for Novel Agri-

global warming on the ice. Although it is a great strategy to

cultural Products (CNAP)30 at the University of York recently

visit a place where the effects of climate changes are obvi-

opened her centre to 'artists-in-residence' because artists

ous, unfortunately the group of artists and writers who ac-

provided them with the opportunity to move out of their

30

own comfort zones. The centre is directly involved in finding

angles of this debate to be understood, one which includes

practical solutions for specific problems like climate change,

the perspective that most branches of science operate under

alternative energy and plant science. Here innovation is

a shared ethics of 'accurate results'. Science mostly requires

limited by serious applied intellectual property and the artists

honest reporting of results, meticulous control and cementa-

were not allowed to be involved. Instead, the artists spent

tion of observations, as well as the formulation and avocation

time making a rather shabby sociological survey, without any

of ideas, but it also requires each scientist to leave a legacy for

insight into ethical debates which were probably taking place

others to follow. This shared ethic demands respect for each

in the lab itself. Our artists-in-labs recipient Isabel Rohner

other and values peer assessment. The role of the bio-artist,

was surprised to find that Dr. Markus Dürrenberger, the di-

as curator Jens Hauser32 indicates, is to keep a diverse array

rector of the ZMB, was quite enthusiastic about engaging in

of possible solutions alive, based on the current concepts,

debates with an artist about the manipulation of drosophilae

theories, principles and methods that are ethically debated

flies, while working in the lab. The debate occurred after a

among the various scientific peers and lab contexts. The re-

rocky confrontation between Rohner and a female scientist

sults could be a highly skilled, critical and reflective artwork

about the value of this manipulation in relation to the ego of

which might gain more respect from science. As Donna Hara-

the scientist. Perhaps an artist’s role is also to be a spark for

way suggests, if science is really neutral then these interpre-

more scientific debate within the actual lab environment. As

tations should also reflect how cultural factors and public

31

Elvin Fox Keller suggests, the conventional accounts that

response might have an influence on innovation itself. 33

scientists offer about their successes to each other are not value-free. In fact the very language, tacit presuppositions,

3. Innovation und Users

expectations, and assumptions shared by natural scientific

Discourses on innovation, which might be relevant to art

researchers are very value-laden". However, informed art-

and science collaborations, include attitudes towards con-

ists, who can weave very complex questions about value

verging technologies, methodologies, information, progress

and society, might be an effective catalyst for 'loosening up'

and user applications. For artists and designers, innovation

such dialogues. In order to explore this cross-over more thor-

automatically implies user interaction, while engineers work

oughly, new transdisciplinary and mediated spaces could be

rather on product-oriented efficiencies. While basic scientific

cultivated in the vicinity of the science labs, so that scientists

research is not application-orientated, design research often

can easily attend these events. In the artists-in-labs project

involves the creating of innovative solutions for an appeal-

the learning curve of the scientists was definitely improved

ing and easier to use customer context. Particularly media

by the exhibition of the resultant artworks right inside the

artists develop interfaces with a 'what if' approach, where

facility of the science lab itself.

users are test beds for interface developments along the way.

In the past, art had a valuable role to play if it was backed up

Some companies, foundations and funding boards find this

by solid claims of scientific knowledge (e.g.Hans Hacke’s work

working approach problematic. They require proposals for

'Grey Water Reclamation' 1969; or Harrison’s 'Sustainable

products or applications to be completely worked out in ad-

Food Source' 1972, and Joseph Beuys who in 1982 planted

vance. This might be an old fashioned attitude towards real

7000 oak trees in order to shift air pollution levels at Docu-

innovation, as many sucessful projects and applications have

menta). It seems art can offer some true scientific models

grown out of open source software shared widely among user

rather than just pay lip service. It might be interesting for the

developers.

general public to see some of these art and ethics discussions

In the artists-in-labs project, the science labs that focused

on mediums like film and video, rather than only read about

on computing, engineering and Artificial Intelligence tended

it. Writing may have augmentative value but we live in an

to define innovation as the successful implementation of

audio-visual culture. Film can often offer potentials for many

creative ideas within a productive framework, but actually

Jill Scott

31

there were many differences in approach. At CSEM innova-

of the development team; on the other hand, the artist can

tion was focused on how micro and nano technologies could

use the team-worked products from the lab to achieve his

be made into products for markets like telecommunications,

or her goals. While the first seems rare, the second can be a

mechatronics, medical and healthcare. In the Artificial Intel-

very problematic alternative. Artists who expected the scien-

ligence lab innovation was about how new approaches to em-

tists to work for them were quickly disappointed. As I have

bodiment and intelligent behaviour could be applied to the

already suggested, artists who readily took on the task of

realization of new agents, systems and materials. In the Glo-

learning were faster integrated into science teams. Relational

bIS Group innovation involved the development of new tools

creativity in art and science teams seems to be inspired by

and platforms for collaborative information environments

up-to-date discourses on convergence of technologies, the

and in the Planetarium, innovation was about the educa-

comparisons of methodologies, and the cultural relationship

tional approaches toward physics and astronomy and how

between information and progress.

these interpretations translate into computer animation. All these different approaches incorporate teamwork and

3.1 Converging technologies

computer literacy. Therefore, our preference in the artists-

One of the most common debates about teamwork focuses

in-labs project was to place media artists or designers into

on the invention and sharing of tools. As Walter Benjamin

these specific lab contexts because they tend to use the in-

suggested, scientists have always invented tools to see

teractive potentials of computer-based information. In media

further, illustrate theories or test the clarity of their inven-

art circles, the interactive learning and the impact of innova-

tions.34 However, our ways of seeing are still affected by who

tion on society are often being discussed. Today, design firms

uses the technology we invent to see with. For example, does

are media literate with complimentary teams of programmers

an artist make a visualization of water quality in a different

and user testing sites. In this respect, media artists and de-

way than a scientists, if both use the same tools? Within the

signers are different from more traditional artists, where iso-

last 40 years, both worlds of art and science have produced

lated art practices are dominant. In the artists-in-labs project

thousands of innovative audio and visual tools. For example

artists like Axel Vogelsang, Andrew Quinn, Clea Waite, Mar-

artists invented Photoshop and it is used in many science

garet Tan and Margarete Jahrmann had previously worked in

labs, while scientists invented photography and it is used by

such teams to develop software and hardware for their work.

many visual artists. Today, media and communication tools

However, they were not all automatically integrated into sci-

are increasingly shared by scientists for research illustration

ence teams within the research labs, and some had to net-

and public demonstration platforms.

work for alternative situations. Although the artist/designer

In the artists-in-labs project, the role of the artist/designer

Axel Vogelsang was well integrated into the scientific team

Axel Vogelsang was to develop a platform for interactive nar-

of the GlobIS group, Andrew Quinn and Clea Waite found

rative, one that could illustrate the teamwork and database

that the differences between their respective methodolo-

potentials from the GlobIS group. After surveying the level

gies was so drastic that the collaboration broke apart. After

of robotic research in the Artificial Intelligence lab, the artist

a shaky start, Margarete Jahrmann is still cooperating with

Adrianne Wortzel used the medium of film to showcase the

the Artificial Intelligence Lab on the development of her

converging edges of their research. The artists Clea T. Waite

software 'GoApe', Margaret Tan re-appropriated innovative

and Andrew Quinn worked alongside the Planetarium staff

hardware developed by the CSEM teams and used it for her

on shared 3D computer animation tools as both had a back-

own project. These results indicate that different levels of

ground in innovative software applications. These variations

integration into science teams occur depending upon the

in the development and use of shared tools should be dis-

skills of the artists and attitudes of the scientists. On the

cussed further between artists and scientists in lab situations

one hand, the artist might be accepted as an integral part

as well as in the internet where blogging and open source

32

potentials are already available for converging technologies.

tools, like Softimage or on-line compositing platforms.

As a reaction to these needs, new departments of Design and

In the artists-in-labs project it was very exciting for the art-

Innovation are being launched, like at the Open University in

ists to work in our partner laboratories where groundbreak-

Milton Keyes, to simultaneously train students in engineer-

ing research is currently taking place. Some artists had prior

ing, computer science and user design.

35

experience in robotics, computer programming, visualization

As Erwin Schrödinger once said about innovation, "the task

and electronics, but they found that they had to learn more

is not so much to see what no one has yet seen but to think

about scientific methodologies to become team catalysts.

what nobody has yet thought about that which everybody

Depending upon the science involved, a traditional painter

36

Transdisciplinary education might help to develop

or sculptor might move through a research lab gathering evi-

this insight and tools, which can cross between disciplines.

dence in a rather unsystematic way. The Centre for Micros-

Another example of tool developments within the artists-in-

copy ZMB in Basel was a good environment for these types

labs project is the simulation tool by Margarete Jahrmann for

of artists, because it is a service centre for many projects.

the Artificial Intelligence lab, which has turned out to be a

Most sculptors or painters use methodologies which fall into

test platform for both artists and scientists to use. Within the

the three categories of (1) assemblage, (2) elimination and

discourse of converging technologies appropriation of tech-

(3) conceptualization. These are often methodologies which

nology from one discipline to another can be considered as

evolve over time or shift along the way. In installation art

a form of innovation. For example, Margaret Tan found the

the conceptual art process itself can even be evident in the

CSEM fall-detector from Neuchâtel for her mobile applica-

final product. In contrast, the process or steps by which a

tion artwork and used it in a performance about the plight of

scientific discovery takes place are far more data driven and

foreign domestic workers.

the innovative goals are often set in place from the start.

sees".

Therefore scientists often think that art methodologies are

3.2 Comparing methodologies

risky or a waste of time.

An ensuing discourse about the differences between methods and methodologies of art and those of science

However, a closer look at art methodologies show that there

might be another area which could further art and science

is actually some correlation with scientific methodologies.

teamwork. Sandra Harding defines the word 'method' as a

The first category of assemblage would be called a 'bot-

pre-determined technique for the gathering of evidence, but

tom-up approach' by Artificial Intelligence researchers as it

she defines the word 'methodology' as a theory and evalua-

involves the process of accumulation, analysing behaviour,

tion of choices about how research does or should proceed.

flocking, compilation and fabrication. The second process of

Contemporary media artists are familiar with the method of

elimination, one of reduction (e.g. sculptural carving), is very

gathering evidence with similar technologies and use similar

similar to some of the working processes in biotechnology.

methods of production than computer and engineering scien-

Following the procedure of gathering information, it involves

tists, although they might include the user earlier in the pro-

incision, division, classification, codification and tagging. In

duction process. Usually, these artists have already worked

this light the working process of a researcher in nano tech-

along side inventors, programmers and engineers before, and

nology and a researcher in video editing might also be com-

they are interested in the theoretical and practical impact

pared. The third art methodology is a conceptual one which

of scientific methodologies on culture. In the 60s and 70s,

reflects upon the process of imagining and ideas, postulation

media artists were dependant upon access to inventions by

and supposition, impression and concoction while the pro-

engineers and programmers, a factor, which determined their

cess is taking place. When Max Planck asserted that the sci-

context and often their content. Twenty years ago, artists in

entist must work by using an ¨essentially artistic imagination¨,

research teams began to help develop many visualization

perhaps he was referring to these three art methodologies.37

Jill Scott

33

In reaction Lewis Wolpert believes that there is nothing so

ment and innovation, I was surprised about the poor state

dissimilar as the methodologies of science compared to those

of the infrastructure. IT offshore companies employ millions

of art, because science is based on proof. However, I believe

of Indians who have been speed educated in express training

that the big difference is that artists have a choice about

centres. The Indians on the street seem to have little benefi-

which proof to follow and which to question. Wolpert further

cial infrastructure from this 'progress' except for a bit more

states that scientists have to be very aware of what is known

money in their pockets. Outside these bastions of IT power,

about the problem being investigated in science because sci-

one can find crumbling public transport systems, devastating

ence has to follow strict criteria, which affirm a lack of con-

sanitary conditions and unstable electricity sources. In fact

tradiction.

38

In this respect he may be right! However, it is

corruption is on the rise. If access to information is seen as

the actual contradictions that are of great interest to artists!

'progress' then surely the local environmental infrastructure

Artists are not required to 'publish or perish', but to 'exhibit

should also be improving. Indeed, it seems that the capitalist

and connect to the audience or perish' and conflicts are of-

policies behind science and business, either produce, control

ten played out in the exhibition space itself. As Rich Gold

or deter progress.

suggested, art and science share the discourse of patrons

In conclusion, innovative approaches should include local,

and peers rather than of clients and consumers.39 In terms of

social, cultural and environmental factors, as well as informa-

methodologies the responsibility of any dedicated scientist is

tion and development in relation to users. Both artists and

similar to any committed artist, both require obsessive fasci-

scientists have many shared roles to play in this regard.

nation, hard work and communication with their respective peer groups, but access to society is another issue.

4. Conclusion The above variety of discourse topics have been inspired by

3.3 Information as progress

the experience of our artists-in-labs project. There is still a

Currently, we live in an information society. A great deal of

lot of work to do if we really want to encourage more prac-

information has led to innovations based on information

tice-based art and science collaboration in the future. Dis-

management, but at this very moment many creative peo-

courses in education and know-how transfer about situated

ple outside the bastions of management are often invent-

knowledge, contextual immersion and relational creativity

ing software and hardware which focuses on social benefits.

might help us to re-define the roles of artists in the scien-

They could be philosophers who like the Brazilian Andreas

tific environment. A second group of discourses about ethics

Paval invented the idea of the Walkman, or they could be

including bio-ethics and artistic interpretations of scientific

mixed groups who simply discuss social questions online. As

knowledge for the public are on-going discussions, which will

Richard Lowenberg (Executive Director of the Davis Commu-

continue to change with new discoveries in the Life Sciences.

nity Network in the US) suggests, we need to discuss more

The final category, discourses about innovation and its social

about the fact that our current society is "answer-rich but

impact on culture, particularly in the subjects of converging

question-poor, where people place importance on a premium

technologies, comparing methodologies and information as

on facts and can get access to them fast and furiously".40

progress might lead to a better understanding about how sci-

He also states that the flow of information can determine

entific research teams could benefit by incorporating artists.

the course of social evolution and should be used to collabo-

This incorporation might help to encourage more unusual

rate on more environmentally, economically, politically and

products and innovative applications for users with respect

culturally sustaining directions. In agreement, I suggest that

to their cultural and political difference.

we definitely need more public debates about information and cultural difference. When I was in Bangalore in 2005, the

In 2004, I started to open up some of these discourses on a

Indian city known for its unprecedented rise of IT develop-

Ph.D level and developed a node of the Planetary Collegium

34

based at the University of Plymouth UK, called Z-node (http://www.z-node.net). Z-node is a research program with a dedicated group of 12 international researchers who meet regularly in the ICS, HGK Zurich, Switzerland. The three aims of the theoretical research are to explore the relationship between design, art, science and technology, to search for collaborative comparisons of processes and technical methodologies and to focus on critical and ethical discourses in relation to communication and collaboration. The experience of learning in different cultural environments, sustainability and scientific-based laboratory research are paramount to our discussions. On an applied level, the main practical focus of the program is the creation of research initiatives, which require the transdisciplinary collaborations between science, art and industry. For the general public, discourses, which deal with ethical and social contexts can further help to explore art as a catalyst to improve public relations for scientists. The representation and interpretation of ethical and social issues within scientific research may also help to generate an new level of respect. Each one of our lives is but a brief moment in the vastly complicated networks of relationships that comprise our shared worlds. In art and science no ground rules exist. What is central, indeed crucial, is that researchers in art and science retain a commitment towards the people they study and their respective subjects of study. The moral principles underlying research could also involve these new discourses and help to develop the cause. Most of our scientific collaborators were open enough to allow a project like the artists-in-labs to occur because the scientists involved thought along similar lines.

Acknowledgments: The artists-in-labs comments in this article can be referenced in the accompanying DVD or in the artists’ reports and science lab pages of this book. The author also thanks the directors of the labs for such meaningful discussions during and after the course of the residencies.

1 See SymboticA at http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/ Art and Science Collaborative Research Laboratory. 2 See CSEM page 70 in this book. 3 see Ned Kahn’s work under http://nedkahn.com. 4 Unfortunately, we also came across some levels of jealousy about the funding of artists who are commissioned for art and science projects, especially with public funds normally designated for scientific research. 5 Most cosmic rays are protons. When these primary cosmic rays hit the earth’s atmosphere at around 30,000m above the surface, the impacts cause nuclear reactions, which produce pions. These pions decay into muons and muon neutrinos which rain down upon the surface of the earth. Actually, about 200 rain down on each square meter of earth every second. www.cosmicrays.org 6 see Lakoff, G. (1993). The Contemporary Theory of Metaphor. www.ac.wwu.edu/%7Emarket/semiotic/lkof_met.html 7 Melnick, B. Cold Hard World \ Warm Soft Mommy: Gender and Metaphors of Hardness, Softness, Coldness, and Warmth. www.clas.ufl. edu/ipsa/journal/1999_melnick01.shtml 8 Rich Gold’s comments can be found in Harrris, G. (1999). Art and Innovation: The Xerox Parc Artists-in-Residence Program Leonardo Books, MIT Press. 9 Wolpert, L. Strange Bedfellows. www.lablit.com/article/39 10 Caravita,S., Hallden O. (1995). Reframing the Problem of Conceptual Change, Learning and Instruction, 4. p.89; Caravita, S.(1995). Costruzione collaborativa di prodotti e tecnologie della comunicazione, TD7. p.6. 11 Blackmore, S. (2000). The Meme Machine. Oxford University Press. p.52. 12 Arts Catalyst in London- www.artscatalyst.org/index.html and The Art and Genomics Centre.Amsterdam. www.artsgenomics.org 13 For an extensive survey about the stasticts of representation- see the EU report by The Helsinki Group on Women and Science. http://www.cordis. lu/improving/women/helsinki.htm 14 Fox Keller,E. (2000). The Century of the Gene, Harvard University Press. 15 Harding, S. (1986). The Science question in Feminism. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. 16 Haraway, D. J. (1996). Modest_Witness@Second_Millennium. FemaleMan(c)_Meets_OncomouseTM. New York: Routledge 17 The first meting of the network took place in Jan 2006 in Cassis, France. 18 Bronowski, J. (1965).Science and Human Values. Harper and Row, New York, 1958. www.drbronowski.com 19 Brandon Ballengée. www.greenmuseum.org/content/artist_index/artist_id-19.html 20 Orien Catts www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/research/pig.html 21 Kac. E. Telepresence and Bio Art -- Networking Humans, Rabbits and Robots_ 2005. University of Michigan Press 22 Science Cafes or Cafe Scientifique. www.cafescientifique.org 23 Welcome Trust see http://psci-com.ac.uk:80/events/public.html 24 http://psci-com.ac.uk:80/events/public.html 25 www.earthcharter.org 26 NESTA, Science, National Endowment for Science, Technology and Art: www.nesta.org.uk 27 Cape Farewell. http://www.capefarewell.com 28 Ehrlich, G. (2004).The Future of Ice-A Journey into Cold. Pantheon. 29 See page 53 for jury guidelines in this book 30 CNAP. www.cnap.org.uk/http://bid.berkeley.edu/bidclass/radings/benjamin.html 31 ibid Fox Keller, E. 32 Hauser, J. L‘Art Biotech www.shanatinglipton.com/bio-art-2.html 33 ibid Haraway, D. 34 Benjamin, W. (1963).The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. http://bid.berkeley.edu/bidclass/readings/benjamin 35 The Open University: http://design.open.ac.uk/aims/aims.html 36 Schrödinger, E. http://nobelprize.org/physics/laureates/1933/schrodinger-bio.html 37 Plank, M. www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Planck. html 38 ibid Wolpert 39 ibid Gold, R. 40 Lowenberg, R. www.dcn.org/dcn/exdir/ and also: Davis Community [email protected]

Jill Scott

35

PERCEPTION — TRANSLATION — TRANSFORMATION

René Stettler

"If we are to find a reliable way of integrating knowledge

This is a supportive premise for the artists-in-labs project’s

between science and art, then the intellectual traffic must

basic intentions which were about breaching artistic, scien-

pass in more than one direction"

tific and disciplinary boundaries in relation to the process of

Robert Pepperell

common knowledge production. He proposed a very open concept of mutual and shared perception with a central focus

Our intention in initiating the artists-in-labs project was to

on translatory and transformative potentials.

encourage education, interdisciplinary research and innova-

The artists-in-labs study revealed that personal attitudes

tive processes at the interface of science and art. Over the

and assumptions from both the scientists and the artists

past years, I have become aware that the evaluation and

helped to shed light on how interdisciplinary collaboration

reports on art-science projects lack basic levels of critical

and exchange can help to 'bridge the gap' between the

self-reflection. Perhaps this is due to the overall absence of

various disciplines. However, my critical observations of

a critical eye on the part of the organizers, who often try

the artists-in-labs research process are more based on the

to sell art-science projects as a 'new art form' in the hope

Bakhtinian concept of responsibility. In his concept, respon-

of achieving a successful creative output. Perhaps it comes

sible exchange is understood as "answering to and for the

from the artists themselves, who aim to create impact by

other, keeping in mind that the value of the other and not

using scientific terms more often. It seems that the problem-

of the 'I' is aesthetically productive". 2 The development of

atic features of the differing epistemological motivations of

a type of mutual awareness - if made abundantly available

artists and scientists are not being addressed. By alluding to

- might thereby play a special dialectic role in the exchange.

the processes of perception, translation and the role of the

His concept supports a wider starting point, one which has

experiential and transformative potential of art in the art-

more collaborative potentials in productive contexts and so-

ists-in-labs project, I wish to argue that an underestimated

cial environments such as the artists-in-labs project.

and strong communicative potential for art lies within the and transformative potential and proceedings underlying

The Challenge of Orientation and Collaboration

our perception. The empirical evidence of the asymmetries

A major challenge for the multi-cultural and multi-discipli-

between the arts and the sciences as witnessed during the

nary group of artists in the artists-in-labs project, was their

artists-in-labs residencies will also be addressed. My final

deep immersion into the atmosphere of the scientific re-

suggestions relate to fundamental changes in the project

search environment, with its constant, dynamic data produc-

conditions of art-science projects with suggestions about

tion, career development, communicative skills and methods

how to subsequently include and systemically implement

of collaboration. Each artist had to learn how to orient him

these new insights into future research perspectives.

or herself in the immense amounts of specialized know-

scientific context. This argument will consider the translatory

ledge. When the artists-in-labs research team started to

A More Open Concept of Mutual and Shared Perception

observe and analyse the processes of social interaction and

Firstly, there is a necessity for a kind of creative and con-

to compare the projects. Not only was the creative process

ceptual innovation; a radical new way of thinking about sci-

underlying each artistic project different but also because

ence and art in terms of the interrelatedness of their codes or

our heterogeneous methods of observation, analysis, experi-

constituent parts. In a graduation report from Michael Cen-

mentation, and visualization did not apply to all the various

tury about communication, he proposes a "multi-perspective

levels of scientific research involved.

framework from which to view the rising density of communication between the worlds of art, technology, and science".1

36

knowledge production we soon realized that it was difficult

The Challenge of Communication

can help us consciously become aware of science in multiple

The first great obstacle for each artist-in-residence to over-

ways. However, if art can be understood as a facilitator for

come was the severe challenge of both defining and finding

experience, then it can also help to others to become aware

appropriate project-partners in the laboratories.3 Conse-

of science in multiple ways. Art is a medium of non-theoreti-

quently, many artists had to become quite inventive, in order

cal epistemological reflection through process and its inquiry

to find ways to open up communication with the scientists on

is supported by the very nature of its non-discursive method.

a very basic level. We had hoped that the first contact would

Thus an artist given time to evolve alongside a scientific

not only include the presentation of the artist’s working per-

context can become a facilitator for the perception, trans-

spective in relation to the purpose of the scientific research

lation, and the transformation of their own picture of the

in the laboratory, but it should also help the artist become

exact as well as the objective sciences. For example: Dominik

'linked-in' to the formal and informal communication chan-

Bastianello - resident at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)

nels in the science contexts.4 It soon became obvious that

- had originally planned to make a comparative project be-

if the artists wanted to become respected members of the

tween the properties of art and those of science. He wanted

science community, they had to learn about the 'established'

to discover and compare similarities between image patterns

culture of scientific communication, in the lab itself.5 Not all

on video clips, resulting from rotating cameras and images

artists managed to do so, and for some, the situation was

from the particle detector chamber of quantum physics

unsolvable, resulting in insufficient levels of communication

showing traces of high velocity particles. Bastianello works as

and fruitful exchange. We were not so surprised about this,

an architect and has a conceptual interest in the creation of

because as Heinz von Foerster suggests, the act of reaching

visual spaces. In his final exhibition, 'Where in the World am

out together is often limited by the 'cherished' boundaries of

I?', he metaphorically questions the complex relation of the

6

disciplines. We had thought that the artist and the scientist

observer and the observed - one of today’s most problematic

might try together to move beyond these boundaries, but

philosophical issues in physics. Bastianello’s apparatus refers

we did not provide a formal commonly shared communicative

to a multiple layer of theoretical issues in quantum physics

process for this to happen. Due to the sheer boldness and

including for example, the Copenhagen Interpretation of

the perseverance of the artists, the majority of the projects

quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle,

evolved to become more linked to their scientific contexts.

and the Bell Inequalities. He also subjectively refers to what

One of the major surprises for our artists-in-labs team, were

John Bell called the 'problem' of quantum mechanics and its

the discussions amongst the artists themselves, about the

relation to observation. Hence, his installation may be sum-

various methods they were employing in order to open up

marized as a poetic revelation based on a subjective point of

dialogue and understand complex scientific frontiers in the

view of unsolvable observer-centred issues that have been

various labs. I think that artists have an intrinsic curiosity and

bothering quantum physicists for a long time. There is also a

eagerness to understand these new horizons of knowledge,

persuasive link in his title to relativity and John Bell’s won-

and that the term perception should be enlarged to include

derfully formulated question "Is the world more intelligible

this very process of inquiry, one which attempts to translate

when we don’t imagine ourselves to be at the centre of it?"7

and transform scientific contexts into experiential realities. Here I would suggest that as artistic perception differs from

Perception as a Subjective Process

the so-called exact sciences, perception could be an inter-

When I use the word ‘perception’, I refer to a phenomenon

pretative experience rather than an illustration of natural

which – despite its measurability in specific domains – remains

science theory. By inventing these new modalities of experi-

ultimately subjective and cannot be fixed and generalized by

ence, art may offer multiple ways of perceiving science. Art

law. Art can be understood as a facilitator to experience and

might even be capable of demonstrating how the natural sci-

René Stettler

37

ences perceive and depict our world and where precisely their

centuries. This is an exciting cultural process generated by

strengths and limits lie. Today, many scientific laboratories

creative needs in science as well as in art.

serve as a space for the theoretical and speculative developin which reconfigurations of the natural and social order and

Visualization or Interpretation or Illustration?

its relations to each other take place.8 Another artist-in-lab,

During our artists-in-labs public meetings and organized

Shirley Soh, focused on the ecological impact of GM (geneti-

brainstorming sessions, we invited the residents and the

cally modified) agriculture in developing countries with the

scientists to present and exchange ideas about a number

adjacent issues of sustainability, biodiversity, market needs,

of topics, but we were very interested to hear about spe-

and distribution. Shirley, who comes from Singapore, became

cific problems which occurred in the research process during

interested in the problems of contaminated soil and the ef-

the residency. The artists welcomed these gatherings which

fect of genetic manipulation on soil bacteria after spending

were socially meaningful to them, because they could com-

time in the Centre for Biosafety and Sustainability (BATS).

pare and share information about their problems. However,

In her final exhibition, 'The writing is on the soil', she posed

here I would like to focus on one meeting, which was aimed

key questions regarding sustainability in theory and practice,

specifically at framing visual, interpretative, and illustrative

the availability of finite natural resources, and the ethics of

processes. The main aim of our invitation was to discuss and

gene-splicing. Visitors could hesitantly tread on eggshells

compare these processes in science and art or in other inter-

containing sprouted grass seeds, which for her symbolized

disciplinary research contexts. It was interesting to see that

the fragility of working with transgenic agriculture. Soh had

there was disagreement about the definition of these rather

scattered them about the floor of the centre in a sort of shel-

elusive terms on both sides. Also, neither the artists nor the

tered room she referred to as a 'safe space'. Thus, for the

scientists argued against the increasing importance of the

audience, metaphorical language, words, pictures, sounds

role of visual imagery in the public’s understanding of sci-

and other material representations played an essential role in

ence.

perception. Soh’s work gave us a translation of what is known

The majority of the artists rebutted the notion that their

scientifically and transformed it into imminent experience.

artistic practice could be 'reduced' to a visualization, inter-

Under certain circumstances, art may also exaggerate or

pretation, or illustration of science! In fact, the question may

even distort scientific positions and procedures, but it could

be faced whether Bastianello’s prototype represents a kind

also simply act as a warning and it may even emanate the

of ‘visualization’ or rather an interpretation' of the laws of

processes of science itself.

quantum mechanics, for example. As much as the famous Ri-

ment of ideas and as condensed and enhanced environments

chard Feynman aphorism that "nobody understands quantum If we compare the artists’ and the scientists’ processes rather

mechanics" should not be taken at face value, Bastianello’s

than their products, science and art share many similar ways

‘Where in the World am I?’ contains analogous intuitive ele-

of proceeding. These are observation, structured specula-

ments about which Feynman spoke in his diagrams by say-

tion, and visualization, exploitation of analogy and metaphor

ing "I do know it’s a crazy mixture of partially solved equa-

and experimental testing of prototypes. As Martin Kemp

tions and some kind of visual picture of what the equation is

suggests, these shared ways require that visual perception

saying is happening, but not as well separated as the words

plays a key role in the representation or the re-visitation of a

I’m using".10

particular experience and various new forms of image gener-

Similarly, Shirley Soh’s installation does not simply 'illustrate'

ation should be found to explore this relationship.9 Certainly,

the increasing impact of the life sciences on nature, society

the language of images possesses an endless vocabulary, one

and our individual lives, nor does it 'visualize' certain aspects

which has been deconstructed and reinvented throughout

of the life sciences. I think both terms seem to be somehow

38

too 'short' and a failure occurs if they are the only terms

With regard to a comparison of the methodologies between

used. Also, other artists’ works have agendas which are far

the life sciences and artists who wish to address ethical

too complex; like those of Nigel Helyer’s 'Theorem', Margaret

issues, more and more artists like Shirley Soh are concerned

Tan’s 'Smart Apron', or Axel Vogelsang’s 'Lost Cosmonaut'

with these aesthetic and poetic or metaphorical dimensions.

for the same reasons. For example, Vogelsang’s work should

It is necessary that more studies about this relationship be

instead be described as 'an experiment in interactive story

conducted. The artists-in-labs group urges these studies,

telling and writing with digitally enhanced paper." However,

hoping to transform the perception of the natural sciences

Tiffany Holmes’ project 'Floating Point', actually claimed to

in relation to art.11. The study of aesthetic and poetic dimen-

be a conceptual visualization of water quality, and probably

sions in relation to science constitutes a new 'field' of re-

came closest to what can be labelled an 'experimental ap-

search in itself, and I think it is still a field crying out for a

proach to visualization'. Visualization, interpretation, and il-

core knowledge base, a core set of constructs, and a core

lustration seem to be appropriate terms for science but not

set of methodologies. This study contains a high level of

for art. They do not really deal sufficiently with the profound-

tacit expectation, one which could provide more insights into

ness and complexity of the translatory and transformative

today’s asymmetries between the arts and the sciences. In

processes that inherently belong to our apparatus of percep-

Michael Punt’s view, the arts need to attend much more to

tion. Instead 'visualization', 'interpretation', and 'illustration'

the concept and the criticism of methodology, if they are to

are more applicable to techniques of proof, presentations or

escape from the redundancy of simply inventing the familiar

portrayals of scientific data, or they may refer to a factual

and avoid confusing level of insight with idiosyncrasy. Punt

'drawing' in the case of an illustration?

points to yet another obsessive scientific epistemological approach to documentation, one which directs and justifies sci-

I would thereby generally prefer to differentiate between

entific methodology. He suggests that scientists could open

methods of 'translation', 'completion', or even 'exaggeration'

up to more phenomenological references. "In a reverse angle,

in relation to perception. It is within these experiential and

the unsustainable obsession with science as an uninflected

perceptive 'dimensions' that we can identify something con-

epistemology validated by method needs more scientists who

ceptually autonomous. The terms translation, completion, or

are prepared to be amazed and to take risks with their public

exaggeration are perhaps even more appropriate for the (nat-

credibility, by acknowledging the inexplicable anomalies that

ural) sciences. Central to this issue is the creation of a model

they discover in the laboratories."12

of experience, which might even transcend the objective and rule based grasp of the (natural) sciences. Martin Kemp also

I am suggesting that if the attitudes and assumptions of

suggests that our final full comprehension of visual and in-

both artists and scientists would change, we might be able to

terpretative processes and methodologies can become "an

achieve a more complex understanding of the real potentials

ideal weapon in the fight to break down the barriers of com-

of interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange. The objec-

munication that modern specialization has erected between

tivist attitude of the scientists often contains a lack of human

the arts and sciences". It has been suggested that all artists

understanding, caused by an ignorance of human language

should resist a systematization of their methodologies. In-

and communication skills which neither help to humanize the

stead, I would advocate that the theoretical experience of

sciences, nor address moral and aesthetic values. This im-

these processes based on analysis, observation, and under-

plies a great opportunity for a change. The chance to accept

standing should be made accessible. Methodologies do not

the challenge of alternative epistemological programs like art

only provide evidence but they also point toward aesthetic

which can circumvent certain problematic ways of thinking

and poetic or metaphorical dimensions.

such as fragmentation – breaking things up into bits, as if they were independent. 13

René Stettler

39

Conclusions: Interdisciplinary Research at the Interface between Science and Art

a team of investigators. She introduces three major factors to support her claims. The first is 'extrinsic attention' (which means funding, agencies, research leadership), the second is 'intrinsic motivation' (which refers to the faculty and the

The artists-in-labs project is a new development for Switzer-

students), and the third is 'systemic implementation' (a re-

land. It not only opened up the horizon for new creative

ference to management and structures). These, she says, are

strategies, observations and an analysis of the changes inside

supportive services for academic interdisciplinary approaches

novel fields of interactivity, but it also caused a reflection on

in research projects. Rhoten says that due to the status quo,

the working relationship between science and art. The sub-

universities "have tended to approach interdisciplinarity as a

stantial shifts and incongruities of the actual boundaries be-

trend rather than a real transition and thus undertake their

tween these disciplines have been detected and turned into

interdisciplinary efforts in a piecemeal, incoherent, catch-as-

pragmatic experiential perspectives. These perspectives can

catch-can fashion rather than approaching them as compre-

act as guidelines for future common interests and goals for

hensive, root-and-branch reforms". She adds that "as a result,

researchers in science and art. The central component of this

the ample monies devoted to the cause of interdisciplinarity,

exchange incorporated perception, communication, and im-

and the ample energies of scientists directed toward its goals,

agination as well as special aesthetic experience. However, in

have accomplished far less than they could, or should have".

any future projects brainstorming about issues like common

I am persuaded that if science is to continue to maintain its

benefits and common intellectual enrichment would certainly

authoritarian position in a responsible manner with a sincere

help to contribute to more fruitful research perspectives.

interest in interdisciplinary research, it must widen its horizon to include open-ended analyses of experience. The world

Initially in the artists-in-labs project there was an unspo-

of art not only helps to envision new modes of knowledge

ken agreement among its participants that epistemological

production, but it also widens the scope, stretching it beyond

knowledge from either side of the fence was a separated en-

the conventional frameworks of scientific exploration.

tity. In retrospect, I think that such an a priori assumption might lead to a complete lack of communication. Instead, our

In conclusion, I would suggest that the development of

initial intentions tried to pave the way for a new dialogue

common projects between the sciences and the arts is very

between science and art during the residencies and to in-

relevant on a perceptual level. However, how can these

vestigate the interdisciplinary character of the exchange af-

projects succeed? In the past thirty years, many research and

ter the residencies had occurred. This concrete experience

academic programs have claimed aspects of interdisciplinar-

clearly demonstrated what kind of structural and conceptual

ity, but at the same time specialization in the scientific dis-

prerequisites might be necessary for a second round of art-

ciplines has increased dramatically. Scientists often complain

ists-in-labs, in order to sustain and foster more collaborative

about being trapped in their specialized fields, nevertheless

strategies.

it seems difficult to motivate them to be included in collaborative working perspectives. Surely at some point they could

Today, new studies claim that the academic sciences are mov-

vacate their own epistemological territories! If both par-

ing away from traditional forms of homogeneous, hierarchical

ties aim for common benefits and perspectives, this means

and discipline-oriented research - to new heterogeneous, in-

they have to re-define their research interests together.

ter-disciplinary, horizontal forms of collaboration. In a recent

Will scientists be willing to risk a re-definition of their own

American National Science Foundation study, Diana Rhoten

careerism, alongside their own disciplinary and methodologi-

uses interdisciplinarity to refer to the integration of dif-

cally oriented research goals?

ferent methods and concepts through a cooperative effort by

Perhaps they could start with the most common shared needs

40

2

1 3

1 Extrinsic Attention Funding Agencies, Research Leadership Conclusions artists-in-labs: Common Project Perspectives Common Research, Ideas, Plans, Budgets 2 Intrinsic Motivation Faculty, Students Conclusions artists-in-labs: Common Motives, Benefits Common Intellectual Enrichment 3 Systemic Implementation Management, Structures Conclusions artists-in-labs: Systemic Re-Design of Structure New Forms of Leadership, Management

Interdisciplinarity matters because novel, and still unexplored contexts of dynamic and specialized knowledge production sites in scientific disciplines and laboratories may indeed represent a kind of new physical and mental space. The disciplines of science could explore these possibilities and define common research horizons for more related aesthetic experiences. This challenge, however, is also new for the art world. Jean-Christophe Ammann proclaimed that Western art has reached the qualitative rock bottom. Foreseeing immense potential for art, Ammann argues that an extensive exploration of the 'psycho-mental inner space' still lies ahead of us.16 If deep epistemological and ontological questions could be shared and discussed from various perspectives, then perhaps artists and scientists could experience what William

Diagram: artists-in-labs research analysis by Stettler with the permission of Diana Rhoten and the study'Interdisciplinary Research: Trend or Transition?' (c) 2004

Irving Thompson calls novel 'presentations of time'. Irving Thompson states that "the ephemeral quark and ephemeral performance of a work of art will be categorically different,

for research ideas, research plans and budgets, which could

for the machines of science, the instruments of AI, will be

be based on trying to find the integrated research interests

instruments of a Keatsian unheard music. The ultimate de-

of all partners. For Rhoten 'intrinsic motivation' stood for

scription of nature will have become the latest performance

the fact that the incentive or motivation from the project

of culture, and we shall travel in endless loops of a mirroring

partners should be a vital factor. This could be achieved with

Moebius strip in which our ideas of nature reflect our cul-

the promise of common intellectual enrichment. An authen-

ture of ideas".17 Here the philosophical issues of the observer

tic collaboration is based on collegial cooperation, and this

and the observed as pronounced in physics, (for example the

can only be created under clearly formulated expectations,

quest for mind and matter) can be researched and reflected

actions and interactions. Furthermore, it is necessary to in-

by both parties together. This newly gained knowledge would

tegrate 'intrinsic' and 'extrinsic' factors (common financing,

be transformed by avoiding the trap of narrow reductionist

research perspective, goals) and motivation - to re-design

and disciplinary views.

research structures systemically. Definitions of problems

A South American anthropologist, Luis Eduardo Luna, refers

and project directions should be analyzed and discussed

to similar 'ways of knowing' in relation to the culture of the

by the art-science team. Only under such conditions will it

Amazonian Indians. He states that "for our western world

be possible to invent new forms of common knowledge and

to learn something means to be completely objective by at-

subsequent production. Rhoten cites "organizational errors

tempting to 'eliminate' the subject as much as possible. (...)

that have resulted from the lack of vigorous thinking around

It is my impression that for a shaman or an Amazonian Indian

interdisciplinarity" and warns that "instead of implementing

to 'know' something may mean 'transforming' oneself into

interdisciplinary approaches from the perspective of a thor-

that which one is observing". For Luna, one learns by trans-

ough-going reform, many universities are simply adopting

formation or by 'approaching the two ends' simultaneously

the interdisciplinary labels without adapting their disciplinary

- the observer and the observed. "The shaman can become

artefacts".15 It is therefore of utmost importance that the tra-

an animal or the animal can become a human being".18 This

ditional forms of leadership and management be challenged

kind of shamanistic iconography exists in many places all over

by interdisciplinary research!

the world, but it may tell us something profound.

René Stettler

41

When the artists entered the science laboratories they automatically started to transform and mediate the image of the exact and objective sciences. With a kind of 'shamanistic unsharpness' they turned scientific artefacts into experiential realities and interpretations: in other words, they represented science in a different way. As David Bohm has suggested, 'Representation' is in fact the most appropriate term for this transformation, as it means, 'to re-present' again.19 It is my conviction that interdisciplinary dialogues require a new level of profound reflection and we should risk asking important questions which reach beyond the boundaries of scientific objectivism. As Vilém Flusser suggests, our very subjective horizons such as experiences, desires, and even dreams play a significant role in these contexts. One of the consequences of being able to communicate and exchange subjective horizons is that both artist and scientists open up to alternative forms of knowing, experience and analysis or in the words of Vilém Flusser: "To design new worlds which we haven’t explored yet." This approach could be the starting point to initiate science and art as a common enterprise, one that helps to create an interface between the sciences and the arts. Let us remember that the value of the 'other' and not of the 'I' is aesthetically productive. Science and art share many ways of proceeding. They just have to start sharing them. Acknowledgements: The author gratefully acknowledges the help and generous support he has received during discussions with Roy Ascott, Priska Gisler, Marille Hahne, Christina Ljungberg-Stücklin, Mike Phillips, Michael Punt, Otto E. Rössler, and Jill Scott about the subject of this paper.

42

1 Century, M. (1999). Transdisciplinary Knowledge Production and the Arts. Studio Labs since 1960. Sussex University and McGill University’s Graduate Program in Communication Report. 2 See Ponzio, A., Petrilli, S. (2000). Philosophy of Language Art and Answerability in Mikhail Bakhtin. 1st Edition New York Ottawa Toronto: LEGAS. p8. 3 Tiffany Holmes, artist-in-lab in the CoLab, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, outlined the problem by reporting: "I discovered that the researchers would lend a friendly ear to my questions during the lunch hour or a coffee break. (...) However, no one I spoke with had time for discussion or project building outside of the appointed lunch or coffee breaks, or biweekly lectures or seminars". Axel Vogelsang, artist-in-lab at the Institute of Information Systems of the same institution reported a different experience: "During the collaboration a great team spirit evolved. It was a real collaboration in a sense that my requirements triggered ideas for new solutions as well as that the lab collaborators [scientific partners] constantly produced ideas that I could use for my work". 4 Latour, B., Woolgar, S. (1986). An Anthropologist visits the Laboratory. In: Laboratory Life. The Construction of Scientific Facts. Chichester, West Sussex: Princeton University Press. p53. 5 Dominik Bastianello, artist-in-lab at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) told me about his attempts to establish initial communication with scientists: "One of the main tasks in my project was to find the appropriate person who was willing to match the dense time schedule with it. My initial strategy was to win potential partners to collaborate with. I designed my first communicative steps carefully. When I made the first phone call, I indicated briefly what the content of my project and the aim of my work was, and then asked the scientist to basically inform me at our first meeting about his or her own work and on-going research". Nigel Helyer, Bastianello’s fellow artist at PSI, was intimidated when he realized the extremely complex structure of the PSI which occupies over 1000 international researchers and he told us that "the relative physical isolation of PSI coupled with its apparently impenetrable organisational structure caught him somewhat off-guard". That Dominik Bastianello as a Swiss national had similar experiences made him feel though "less incompetent in his attempts to navigate the industrial scale and rigidly organized PSI machine". 6 See Glanville, R. (2003). Understanding Systems: Conversations on Epistemology and Ethics. A Review of the book by Heinz von Foerster and Bernhard Pörksen. Cybernetics & Human Knowing. A Journal of Second-Order Cybernetics, Autopoiesis and Cyber-Semiotics. 10 (1), p185. 7 Bell, J. S. (2004). Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantummechanics. 2nd Edition Cambridge: University Press. p170. 8 Knorr Cetina, K. (2002). Wissenskulturen. Ein Vergleich naturwissenschaftlicher Wissensformen. 1st Edition Frankfurt a. M.: Suhrkamp Verlag. p45. 9 Kemp, M. (2000). Visualizations. The Nature Book of Art and Science. 1st Edition Oxford New York: Oxford University Press. p4. 10 Ibid, pp100-101. 11 Reichle, I. (2005). Kunst aus dem Labor. 1st Edition Wien New York: Springer-Verlag. p5. 12 Punt, M. (2005). The 6th Swiss Biennial on Science, Technics and Aesthetics. Available: http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-journals/Leonardo/reviews/ feb2005/swiss_punt.html. Last accessed 20 July 2005. 13 Bohm, D. (1996). On Dialogue. 1st Edition London and New York: Routledge Classics. p56. 14 Rhoten, D. (2004). Interdisciplinary Research: Trend or Transition? Items and Issues. 5 (1), p6. 15 Ibid, p9. 16 Ammann, J. C. (2005). Identität und Authentizität. Das Ästhetische, das Dokumentarische - und das Ideologische in der Kunst. Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 111, p69. 17 Thompson, W. I. (1992). An introduction to "What Am I Doing in Österfärnebo?" by Cornelia Hesse-Honegger. In: Bundesamt für Kultur, Switzerland Cornelia Hesse-Honegger. After Chernobyl. Bern: Verlag Lars Müller. pp16-17. 18 Luis Eduardo Luna, personal e-mail to author, July 14, 2005. 19 Bohm, D. On Dialogue. p63.

FREE ACCESS OR ENTRY DENIED? SEARCHING FOR COMMON GROUND IN THE ARTISTS-IN-LABS-PROJECT Priska Gisler

For her video-work 'Etui' Maja Bajevic, a Bosnian artist,

quality of their work. Ultimately, she produced a film with

asked a group of leather-workers to sew an outfit.1 Tanning

leather-workers about leather-workers. Their situation is

and leather-work was a flourishing industry before the war,

clear; the problematic is set, the artistic statement is open

but this time the task was not to produce an ordinary jacket

to interpretation. For me this artwork illuminates the socio-

or a comfortable pair of trousers, but a dress designed to fit

economic situation of leather-workers in Bosnia, and reveals

the outside of a small house in the 'Old Town' in the city of

themes in the history and context of Sarajevo. The leather-

Sarajevo. The video shows the artist in a discussion about the

dress becomes the skin of Bosnian workers, naked in the face

project with the workers who are working in an old, shabby

of an economic truth, after a war on the periphery of Europe,

factory. They tell her that a new factory is soon to be opened

where their social securities are 'undressed'.

in the neighbourhood, with slick modern leather-production machines and Italian owners. The new factory is going to be

A house was also the centre of the artists-in-labs project. This

built with the latest technology, and their machines will be

time it was the house of science, which had been inhabited in

able to work one piece of leather as a whole, compared to

various ways during some months by an international group

the older style of two pieces of leather. Whether the new

of artists. The idea of the project was an artist-in-residence

factory will be the death of the older one remains to be seen.

period of three to eight months in a research lab. The artists

So far, one thing is certain, namely that the new factory’s

were supposed to make contact with scientists and collabo-

managers are hiring away the young and vital men from the

rate with them during this time, on proposals for reflective

old factory.

artworks. As a social scientist supporting the undertaking, I

This is an old story for a politically aware audience - and it is

observed the interactions which took place and I will analyse

linked by the artist to questions of security, homelessness,

some of them in the following text.

belonging, the consequences of human projects like war, and the concepts of economic profit. In the end, the little old

One striking result was that the artists seemed to like the

house is covered in a blood-red dress, standing in the centre

possibility of inventing and telling different stories around

of the 'Old Town'. The project is ephemeral and open to vari-

scientific knowledge assisted by the high-tech infrastructures

ous interpretations by the audience; it could be a sculpture,

they found in the labs. Some poetic, aesthetic narratives, in-

a kiosk, or a power station. It might point to alienation in a

vented by artists like Adrianne Wortzel and Axel Vogelsang

territory hit by war, while humans have continued their lives

allowed fantastic travels to new territories. Naturally, the art-

in spite of change. The people there have had a hard strug-

ists faced some difficulties within the scientific environment.

gle against poverty, joblessness, homelessness, the loss of

Time, for example, was a precious commodity in the busy

power, and their own loss of identity.

life of a researcher and in some labs, the artists had to fight

Sensitive to the issues of cooperation between different 'dis-

for attention in order to be able to meet with them. Some

ciplines', I had the opportunity to question Maja about her

problems arose because the scientific research results were

collaboration with these specialized craftsmen. How did she

not always available for use by the artists. Furthermore, the

interact with them? How did she communicate? How did she

image the artists had in mind of science labs did not always

get access to them? How did they perceive her odd request?

correspond with the places they thought they had applied to.

"Oh, you know it yourself, how it is to work with craftspeo-

In contrast to the Bosnian leather-workers helping Maja Ba-

ple. They didn’t raise many questions. Once they understood

jevic to realise her artistic project, the scientists had not been

the task, they started their work and didn’t discuss much.

paid for their collaboration. On the contrary, after the project

They were friendly, open, and happy to do the job."

was finished the scientists were asked whether they favoured

These craftsmen did not question Maja’s strange idea. They

a continuation of the project and whether they would like

are workers who strive for good results and focus on the

to help find funding for the post-doc scientists to be paid

Priska Gisler

43

next time.

to leave the laboratory, he had accompanied the Institute for

When I started to reflect upon the struggles artists might

Geobotanics, ETH Zurich on two journeys to East Asia. His

experience in science, what struck me most in the aftermath

task had originally been to document the negotiations and

of the project was the dominance of house-metaphors em-

discussions between scientists and state representatives on

ployed in several cases. It must have been a real artistic chal-

the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). He

lenge to scratch the façades of the house of science and to

soon got the impression that a more contextualised view of

shake the walls from which it is built. Naturally, the house of

the reflections would mean leaving the scientists’ inner cir-

science is not a small 'Old Town' house, but a huge palace to

cles. Accordingly, he observed, filmed, and studied the view

be found at the centre of a city. And there are certainly many

of Malaysian and Vietnamese farmers concerning GMOs.

queens and kings, courtiers, and maids already inhabiting its

Their perceptions have often been excluded in Eurocentric

various chambers!

discussions on the topic and their voices have not yet been heard. Isler wanted to focus on the Swiss debates when he

Unaccustomed as they were to working in science, it must

returned from his journeys, and in doing so walked into an

have been a difficult task for the artists to advance through

emotional minefield. Although as an independent filmmaker

the splendid apartments and inner rooms of this palace. They

in the artists-in-labs project he urgently wanted to find out

all had access to a great deal of technical skills and in many

more about the differences between European and Asiatic

cases use of available instruments, but they still remained

views, he was treated as a persona non-grata. He was not

outside the intricate knowledge of scientific methodology. It

allowed to enter a test site of the ETH and was forbidden to

was probably even more difficult to gain information about

record an experimental trial of GM-crops, even though he

the palace’s inhabitants and their ways of life. Had they been

was working under the auspices of the same institution.

there for a long time or just arrived recently? Had other people

The resulting art installation 'Testfeld' (experiment field) at

been there before? Were they connected to friendly neigh-

the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich allowed him to raise

bours or was the outside an enemy’s country? What was the

several questions about access to scientific knowledge. He

purpose of their creations? To whom were they addressed?

borrowed six isolation-tents from the scientists and installed

Which music did the inhabitants listen to? How frequently

them behind a wire fence. The shadows of crops and other

did they watch TV, and did they prefer Italian food? It was

grasses are projected from the inside of the tents. The in-

clear that the scientists as persons were rarely a featured

stallation is surrounded by three video monitors, on which

topic in the artistic works resulting from the artists-in-labs

one can follow interviews of several experts in the field. The

project, while the occupation of the house of science seemed

contradictory statements make it clear that the topic is hotly

to be a predominant feature. A strange attraction was exer-

debated. The solid ground of scientific knowledge shakes

cised on the artists by the building, specifically by its walls,

under the open questions concerning the consequences of

rooms and constructions. Interestingly enough, the concept

the technologies and the interests at stake in the game. The

of science as an institution attracted artists who questioned

video interviews leave it open for the viewer to decide if the

the content of the labs and their working procedures. The

high number of scientists in favor of GM-technologies are in

differences and similarities between scientists and these art-

contrast to the antagonists outside the academic institutions

ists proved to be interesting scientific controversies on the

or from the NGOs (Non Government Organisations) .

2

enclosed DVD. This observation will be discussed in the following examples.

Shirley Soh, an artist from Singapore, commented on her encounters with science by using eggshells on the floor of

A house, a set of tents in fact, were in the end a productive

her 'house' installation. They were filled with earth, planted

way for Thomas Isler to discuss a ban on filming. Prompted

with crops and covered the floor of the public foyer at the

44

Centre for Microscopy, ZMB Basel. By doing so she tried to

she imagined that forty-nine women co-performers, could

mediate the sense of fragility which enveloped her, when she

climb onto the balustrade of the ZMB bio-centre in Basel.

studied the scientific papers on biodiversity at BATS (Cen-

The balustrade is an architectural feature used only as an

tre for Biosafety and Sustainability). Or when she consulted

emergency exit so the sight of Isabel on the narrow balcony

websites, when she delved into books and tried to answer

provoked a host of alarm-calls to the lab director, who was

her own questions about who in this world should have the

urged to prevent a suicide attempt. A scientist even posted

right to manage and manipulate genetic diversity. During her

a placard onto one of the windows which said: "Don’t jump,

lonely thought-travels, she also encountered some dialogues

we can talk about everything". Sometimes, Isabel discussed

with scientists, but not about 'science and the public'. She

these ethical and moral anxieties she experienced around the

was also not involved in intense collaborative exchange in a

experiments she was confronted with during her fellowship in

practical sense. It must have been frustrating for her to find

the lab with Dr. Dürrenburger.

her lab to be an ordinary office with computerised working stations. While the head of the institute expressed his wish

In one of the projects, the artist finally entered 'the house'

to hear the questions and concerns of the invited artist, for

and asked the actors within to imagine the plight of for-

Shirley Soh many of her questions about genetics remained

eign domestic workers. When Margaret Tan presented her

unanswered; to whom can one address possible comments

interactive apron in a commercial lab for micro-electronic

and who is listening?

devices, she did it with a big grin. Her apron was designed for domestic workers from the Philippines working in Singapore

The opening of her installation was a kind of answer, since

households. In the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Micro-

many people from the local arts scene seemed to be inter-

technology CSEM in Alpnach, she had succeeded in inte-

ested, more so than the few people from the scientific insti-

grating their motion-detector in her apron. It enabled her

tute who attended. While the audience walked carefully and

to differentiate between a false alarm and a real fall of the

audibly over her shells, Shirley repeated her question: "Who

worker and react by sending out an automatically generated

is the audience for this fragile research?" Breaking eggshells

emergency-SMS for the latter. The engineers identified it as

below one’s feet provoked a sense of this fragility, as well

an interesting product in the field of wearable computing yet

as the questions one can raise. It worked as a metaphor for

the idea had to be downsized immediately in order to avoid

the barriers between art and science. Are the institutional

huge costs. The artist’s self-irony can be caught by observing

boundaries breaking if they are transgressed? What will be

the DVD in this book, but one has to ask how the scientists

the damages? What will be gained?

and engineers in Alpnach handled her ideas. Which traces have this overtly feminist project left behind? One day, after

Isabel Rohner’s own epidermis served as subject matter, and

painting her arms and hands like camoflauged wallpaper for

also as a metaphor for the house of science. When she wanted

their 3D CSEM camera tests, she realized that the scientists

to try out the Scanning Electron Microscope, she had already

had very different expectations of what it is to be an artist.

followed researchers into the depths of cellular research and

With an open admiration they commented how skillfully she

had observed experiments on mice which were both spectac-

had painted her body. While she presented her movement-

ular and alarming. It was a simple piece of skin which was ulti-

detector to the scientists with a twinkling eye, it remains

mately important for her work with this microscope. She took

to be seen whether any further discussions about the real

the cladding of the building in which she had been working as

collapses of domestic workers or their actual dangers took

the metaphor of the epidermis, to enact a façade-perform-

place. In a Bosnian workers apron, Margaret Tan also per-

ance. She used the building as an organism, the façade as the

formed a tribute to foreign domestic workers in Switzerland,

epidermis, its windows as pores. Like a multiple amplification

reminding me of the art-work of Maja Bajevic that I discussed

Priska Gisler

45

earlier. The Bosnian cleaning lady expresses her gratitude for being in Switzerland for many years and having been able to escape the war. Whether her situation is any different from the leather-workers in Sarajevo, and whether the scientists in the Alpnach lab have discussed this question with Margaret unfortunately remains unanswered. This is, of course, a selection of artists from the artists-in-labs projects, for whom the metaphor of the house is most appropriate. I have left out those based on strong cooperation in the fields of computing and Artificial Intelligence which have much longer histories of art and science collaborations. In many cases, artists inspired the people working in the labs and helped them to find new approaches to old problems. Since we let them into our house, "we are much less afraid of them", a lab-director states at the end of the project. Is that a good sign? My series of questions resulting from the artists-in-labs project grows longer with Isabel’s final question: How are the interactions between humans and animals regulated? How are the interactions between artists and scientists regulated by society? What kinds of structures, of preconditions, packages of knowledge enable or hamper the debates? The predominant contention around houses, walls, accesses and entries, demonstrates that the artists have left their protected zones of creativity, and have begun to challenge and analyse some of the boundaries defining the position of science in society.

46

1 more about Maja Bajevic, an artist from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina under http://www.the-artists.org/ArtistView.cfm?id=33361A3E-6BA942AF-9B63CC5064524FF9 2 As a more in depth reference please consult the documentary video films about Thomas Isler, Shirley Soh, Isabel Rohner and Margaret Tan in the accompanying DVD at the back of this book

SCIENCE IN TROUBLE? ART BRINGS HOPE

Beat Gerber

Science and technology attract an increasing amount of

important work as a painter, sculptor and architect, but also

criticism, and have to fight continually for legitimacy and

as a researcher into the natural world and an engineer (his

credibility. Because research is becoming much more com-

ingenious flying machines). The Enlightenment then drew

plex and less transparent, the general public has very little

reason into the picture. According to Immanuel Kant, reason

understanding of what is going on in universities and labo-

would help mankind to free itself from its self-inflicted state

ratories. This lack of information gives rise to a great deal

of immaturity.

of scepticism and mistrust. However, scientific discoveries are absolutely indispensable to the development of our glo-

Reason versus Emotion

balised society. Many people would therefore like to know

Logic (or its counterpart, rationality) continues to be one of

more about the activities associated with these disciplines

the most important maxims of science. The academic com-

and this is a justifiable democratic desire. How can the world

munity thus differs rigidly from religion and esoterism. Art

of specialised science, which is so hard to explain, find a way

and other cultural fields, although academically integrated,

out of this predicament? How can researchers regain the

do not adhere to the strict rules of scientific endeavour. To

trust of the wider public?

begin with, the rational, logical, down-to-earth approach used in research creates a distance between itself and the

One possible solution is offered by making a link to the arts.

arts. Scientists use meticulously planned experiments to

This constitutes an alliance between very different cultures,

achieve results that can be reproduced as evidence for their

but it brings with it great innovative potential for success.

colleagues. Within a particular specialist discipline, it is also

The following is an outline of some paths already trodden

normal to use a common language. As far as lay people are

towards fruitful co-operation between science and art.

concerned, this is simply hieroglyphics, or incomprehensible jargon.

Scientific phenomena often produce images of fascinating beauty. Just think of a dying star or a supernova, as shown

Although contemporary art academics are interested in incor-

by the Hubble telescope; or the DNA double helix under a

porating scientific rigor, the general public experiences equal

scanning tunnel microscope. The geometry of mathematical-

difficulty in understanding many artistic creations. However,

ly generated images, such as the fractals created by Benoît

artists definitely tackle their work in a different way. To some

Mandelbrot, is also superb. Anyone who is unaware of the

extent, they rely on intuition, inspiration and sensibility in

origin of these images could easily think that they had come

their work, and a pinch of provocation sometimes also helps

from the world of art. Whether skillfully painted or part of a

to gain the public‘s attention - as does a sprinkling of crea-

photograph, their aura is entrancing and mysterious. They

tive confusion. Art and science are like fire and water: two

draw us into unfamiliar worlds, to discover the very smallest

quite different elements, with no points of contact, at least

and the very largest, and even to travel back to the furthest

at first glance. Objectivity struggles against feelings, normal-

corners of the past as we gaze into space.

ity fights against uniqueness and order conquers chaos.

In spite of these common aesthetic and attractive features,

Many science researchers regard artists as strangers to real-

the worlds of science and culture have developed into two

ity and somewhat set apart. On the other hand, many artistic

completely separate spheres in modern times. This was not

people regard scientists as too rigid and narrow-minded. The

always the case. Before the Enlightenment,1 at the begin-

defensive trenches are deep, and their mutual lack of un-

ning of the 18th century, many talented people toiled both

derstanding only strengthens their prejudices. Nevertheless,

as academics as well as artists. Leonardo da Vinci was the

both sides definitely share some common characteristics.

obvious outstanding example, because he not only produced

The dividing wall between the ivory tower of the one and the

Beat Gerber

47

garret of the other is thinner than generally believed, but fear

was somewhat hesitant and subdued. The scientists often

of the unknown and of making contact has held back any mu-

crept back into their laboratory retreats, and the artists were

tual communication up to now. Nevertheless, rapprochement

sometimes not forceful enough to lure them back out - out

between the two would create many synergies. The resulting

of respect for these stressed scholars. However, the first step

release of creative energy would benefit both cultures.

has been taken, and they now know at least something about each other. A second phase would now require joint action.

Physics turns to Art

Sensitive alliances will first have to be re-awakened, and the

How do artists view the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), this

shy scientific community will have to be persuaded to join in

complex intellectual and social organism? As the PSI was the

the effort. Co-operation will have to be subtly arranged and

main partner of the artists-in-labs project, we had an oppor-

carefully developed - through fresh artists-in-labs projects

tunity to make a case study in this regard. Artist Nigel Helyer

in the future.

created an audio installation, while another artist, Dominik

The working processes of art and science are actually very

Bastianello, created space sculptures. This Swiss sculptor and

similar - both ask questions and live by their experimental

architect let experimental physics flow into his work - in close

work. They use their intuition during the decision-making

co-operation with the experts. The resulting works included

process, and both radiate a sense of aesthetic elation when

the spatial interpretation of an undulator, a magnet that

their questions come near to being answered, expanding the

guides the electrons accelerated within the synchrotron light

limits of thought a little further. Both scientists and artists

source onto a slalom course. Just as the undulator guides

work in the area of possibilities. They both research at the

the electron, so the space sculpture persuades the spectator

limits, where hitherto unseen and unexplained phenomena

through a wave path, which is then forced to 'emit energy'.

are clarified. Collaborations could produce answers that con-

Bastianello was able to realize his installation 'Where in the

ventional research might not yet have been be able to find.

World am I?' setting it up in the entrance hall of PSI for the

Perhaps such a close connection after such a long separation

World Year of Physics 2005. A camera and figure on a double

would enable the worlds of science and art to recognise what

turntable allows the observational space around the moving

- in a loose interpretation of Goethe‘s 'Faust' - holds the

lens to be projected onto the screen. This produces various

world together at its core. Or is this just wishful thinking?

states of space and speed, and therefore of time - a form of homage to Einstein‘s Special Theory of Relativity.

Critical first Users Artists are usually the critical recipients of technical/scien-

In the view of the Australian Nigel Helyer, a renowned creator

tific innovations. In the kind of technological research that

of sound sculptures, PSI is an acoustic eco-system. His pro-

changes society, they often assume the important role of

posed project 'Theorem' is intended to make this view easy

responsible first user, sounding out the space created by

to see - or rather hear. Thirty to forty audio units form an

the potential of these innovations. One example might be

interactive ensemble, which uses a particle detector to select

the potential for communication opened up by the break-

audio files, thus generating a multi-faceted 'composition'.

neck development of the Internet and mobile telephony. Art

Sensors that react to nearby people and sounds generate

should not just be expected to visualise the latest scientific

additional interactions. The PSI researchers are also drawn

advances in a passive way, but to open these technologies

in; they talk about their concepts of elegance and beauty in

to a wider view and explore the potential of innovation as a

science. Sounds from the inner life of the PSI are combined

creative tool. They could hope to expose the social implica-

with noises from the rural environment where the research

tions of the advances and put them forward as a topic of

institute is situated - including a range of cow bell tones.

discussion, including questioning the social hierarchies that

This first attempt at contact between science and art at PSI

support the acceptance of technology.

48

Artists often act as social seismographers. They can sense

processes to be initiated. It opens doors and brings science

the drift of society far in advance - a talent that usually by-

closer to open minds. Or is this just a naïve dream?

passes scientists. Today, scientific fields are too specialised and complicated for there to be any time left for social com-

Film Scripts for Hollywood

mitment and public works, on top of the necessity to achieve

Lately, one can see that art and science are drawing closer

expertise and ward off competition. 'Publish or perish!' is

together once more. Artists are currently engaged in the

the tough message in the research business. This injunc-

reflection of the themes of natural sciences and technology,

tion does not refer to publication in media such as the press,

and construct contemporary experiments accordingly. On the

television or radio, but to the renowned specialist journals.

other hand, natural scientists have started to use creative,

'Science', 'Nature', 'Lancet' and 'Physical Review Letters' are

artistic methods to achieve surprising discoveries - think of

the market place for the exchange of knowledge within the

all the aesthetic 3D animations showing physical and chemi-

scientific community - and are a closed circle.

cal processes, also at PSI.

A Bruised Self-Image

Even the National Endowment for the Arts in the USA believes

This lack of transparency is one of the main reasons why sci-

that science and technology might have an attractive cine-

ence is now elevated to such an extent. Alarmingly, speciali-

matic potential, and it has set up a training scheme for scien-

zation has increased and researchers have lost the overview,

tists to become film script authors. The idea of this initiative

even in their own field of endeavour. Therefore, how can the

is to provide Hollywood with thrillers and romances from the

general public be expected to understand what is happen-

world of research, and thus to push this sector further into

ing at universities and research laboratories? And what is the

the public consciousness.

purpose of so much technical and financial outlay? Society has an ambivalent attitude towards science, unless it directly

The inclusion of artistic elements would also allow the rigid

affects them. Progress in certain disciplines is applauded, and

structures of science to be softened to some extent. Another

even longed for (especially in medicine, and to some extent

positive side effect of this could be to enable more women to

in pharmaceutical research), but other areas (such as gene

gain access to scientific professions. Switzerland, in particular,

technology and nuclear energy) fight for public acceptance.

has very clear deficits in this respect. The proportion of

It is hardly realistic to expect that further applications will be

women in advanced education in the natural sciences and in

prevented by the public on a global level.

technology here is just 15%, which is half the current average EU level. Science is still a real men‘s club.

Problems of credibility and mistrust on the part of the public eat away at the self-confidence of the scientific world. There

In conclusion, art and science - is an exciting experiment in

is often a dire need for explanations to define the contribu-

the laboratory of life. This lab can provide an opportunity

tion of science to society. Albert Einstein‘s brilliant theories

for dialectic developments which could lead to an improve-

and Stephen Hawking‘s discoveries about Black Holes are not

ment in the dialogue between science and society. However,

enough - but art could well step onto the bridge, to build po-

further procrastination must stop, and now it is time for both

tentials of understanding. Media art, painting, photography,

sides to take conceptual risks and to do 'something crazy'.

sculpture, theatre, performance and other forms of expres-

Surely, we can no longer afford to have the interface between

sion can all be used to produce works that not only incorpo-

art and science become simply just an intellectual fantasy!

rate science in their content, but are also created through actions undertaken by both sectors. Art thus serves as a catalyst and a liberator, enabling such collaborative

1

see: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/hum_303/enlightenment.html

Beat Gerber

49

CASE STUDIES OF THE PILOT PROJECT: ARTISTS-IN-LABS 2003-2005

51

CASE STUDIES OF THE PILOT PROJECT: by the artists-in-labs research team

Description

for scientists in Switzerland and improve the representation

The intention of the artists-in-labs (AIL) program is to share

and interpretation of ethical and social issues within scien-

common goals, to broaden the dialogue, to generate ideas

tific research, to assess the interest by the art community

and raise awareness of the contributions both contemporary

(including museums, art schools) in scientific discourse.

artists and scientists can make to the larger challenges of our

3. Processes and methodology:

time. Our main aim is to provide 'hands on' practical access

- to compare processes and methods of inquiry, assess the

for the artist to learn about science. These studies acknow-

level of know-how transfer between artists and scientists.

ledge the fact that contemporary artists are interested to ex-

- to explore the effect of learning on the work of the artist

plore the scientific, technological and cultural developments

and to see if the communications skills of the artist would

of the 21st century and they are engaged in critical and ethi-

open up communication between the members of each lab.

cal debates. In fact, these days many contemporary artists

4. Collaboration potentials:

are not confined to the borders of the commercial art-world.

- to investigate if the residency could encourage the

They are used to research and teamwork and they are com-

development of more 'true' art-science collaborations, de-

puter literate. They are interested in making artworks which

velop new tools or encourage different innovative approach-

address the technical and social issues of scientific research.

es to science and art in the future.

The 'hands on' practical experience of international projects

The above research aims were based on the fact that our

similar to the artists-in-labs project assures that if the sci-

funding source came from science rather than art and our

entific content and context is used, it will be much more

science labs were mainly interested in the impact any

scientifically robust and accurate, than artwork produced by

processes or collaborations might have on innovation and

artists with little or no immersive experience of science. Ac-

public audiences, as well as if the exposure of the scientist to

tive engagement alongside major research experimentation

new and novel creative input might open up new discourses

is not only an essential experience for the artist, but also

about presentation. Full-time daily immersion on the part of

it can help scientists to 'open up' to the concept of further

the artists for up to 4-6 months was an important factor in

collaboration.

exploring these interests.

The next pages of this book document the results of the first fourteen artists who were resident within nine Swiss science

History and Procedure

laboratories in 2004/05. From our perspective as research-

However, as other transdisciplinary curators and organizers

ers, we wanted to observe if new discourses between artists

will appreciate, the setting up and running of a residency

and scientists might develop, particularly about the quest for

program like this requires a great deal of preliminary foot-

interpretations of nature, matter and human desire as well as

work, and continuous negotiations. In 2003, we began to

the interest to comprehend, explore, reveal, sustain, create

make a feasibility study in order to determine the level of

and build. With major funding from the KTI/CTI, the Swiss

interest in the artists-in-labs program. Thomas Scherrer and

Federal Innovation Promotion Agency1, the following aims of

Jill Scott then approached 100 Swiss science centres by mail

this sociological based observation were theoretical, public,

and fifty responded positively to the call. Jill Scott then took

process and collaborative oriented:

on the task of visiting most of these laboratories and meeting

1. Theory:

their directors. Finally, nine commercial and/or educational

- to search for common philosphical foundations and atti-

research labs were secured to collaborate and financially sup-

tudes towards creativity; assess the levels of assimilation and

port the artists-in-labs project. These labs constituted a large

curiousity and the blurring of transdisciplinary boundaries.

selection of scientific disciplines, spanning the Life Sciences,

2. Public access and social content:

physics, the computer and engineering sciences, which are

- to explore if art can be a catalyst to improve public relations

described on the following pages:

52

a) Life Sciences

to the technical and personal requirements available

Institute for Geobotanics, Swiss Federal Institute of Techno-

-The potential of the projects to be publicized within specific

logy, Zurich

scientific contexts and be accessible to the general public.

Centre for Biosafety and Sustainability (BATS), Basel

- The level of innovation, interpretation and originality in the

Centre for Microscopy (ZMB), Universitity of Basel (Pharma-

proposal for the prototype, including the ability to communi-

zentrum)

cate about ideas, processes and methodologies.

b) Physics Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen

The second and final stage of the selection was made by a

Planetarium, Swiss Museum of Transport, Lucerne

jury of artists and scientists (see our website) based on the

c) Computer and Engineering Sciences

following criteria:

Institute for Information Systems (GlobIS), Swiss Federal In-

-The professional level of the artistic skills, including au-

stitute of Technology, Zurich

dio and/or visual previous work and the level of interest to

Institute for Information Technology (Artificial Intelligence

collaborate.

Lab), University of Zurich

-Solid projects, which have interactive potentials relating to

Computational Laboratory (CoLab), Swiss Federal Institute

the relevance of the artist’s past work.

of Technology, Zurich

-Suitability of the prototype result, the process of produc-

Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM),

tion and the realistic level of the time-line in the specific sci-

Alpnach, Neuchâtel.

ence-lab context. -The potential to distribute or expand the project in the fu-

With the help of our on-line contacts we built a national

ture or to exhibit or publish the result.

and international database through our website www.art-

-Comparisons on an international and national level of the

istsinlabs.ch. By July 2003 we had registered the interest of

proposed projects.

350 artists. It was at this point, the artists-in-labs team approached the KTI/CTI and Migros Culture Percentage about

The following artists were selected:

the potential of running a competition for the award of 12 places in these nine labs. After securing funding in August

Adrianne Wortzel (USA), Robotic Theatre.

2003, 206 artists searched the specific research initiatives in

Margarete Jahrmann (Austria/Swiss) / Max Moswitzer

the labs and an impressive total of 210 project proposals were

(Ausria), GoApe Bot-Intelligence and Gaming.

received from 37 different countries.

Shirley Soh (Singapore), Food for Thought. Margaret Tan (Singapore), Smart Apron.

Selection

Tiffany Holmes (USA), Floating Point.

The selection process took place in two stages. Initially, each

Thomas Isler (Switzerland), Vietnam Connection.

lab director from each science lab came directly to our Insti-

Axel Vogelsang (UK), Augmented Fairy Tale.

tute, Cultural Studies. There they selected 10 potential final-

Dominik Bastianello (Switzerland), Il mondo secondo.

ists from the applications based on the following criteria:

Nigel Helyer (UK/Australia), I.D.E.A.S. Interactive

-Well-researched concepts, which consider the current state

Digital Environmental Audio Systems.

of research in the chosen science environment as inspiration

Andrew Quinn (Italy/Australia), Solar Wind.

for artistic production, rather than have the scientists work

Clea T. Waite (Germany/USA), Moon Walk.

for the artist.

N.S. Harsha (Indien), Room for Digression.

-The potential of the proposal to be accepted in the specific

Isabel Rohner (Switzerland), Wounds - or the Search

scientific context and the analysis of the proposal in relation

for a Cybernetic System

artists-in-labs

53

SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

ART DISCIPLINES

b) Brainstorming Workshop: 'Opinions from the labs about

Life Sciences, computing,

media, sculpture, film/video,

visualization, simulation, interpretation or illustration'

engineering, physics

design, sound

(HGK Zurich, October 4th, 2004). This workshop compared

Biomemetic Robotics

Robotic Theatre

Artificial Intelligence

Graphic Game Engines

Computational Science

Interactive Media

Information Science

HCI Interface Design

Micro-electronics

Wearable Computing

Pharmacy-ecology

Living Sculpture

Geobotanics-biosafty

Documentary Film

Particle Physics

Video Art/architecture

Energy Engineerng

Sound Sculpture

Electron Microscopy

Conceptual Painting

Nanoworlds

Performance/sculpture

Astronomy

Editing And Compositing

Astro-physics

Computer Animation

different approaches to these terms. All 14 artists and 30 scientists from the 9 labs attended for three round table discussions about: -The Public understanding: learning, experience, information transfer -The Metaphors of processes and of interpretation -The potentials of Innovative Tools: use and aesthetic effect d) Public conference: 'FUSION O5' (Lucerne, 24th May, 2005): 'Can art be a catalyst to bring science to the public? Sharing the results of the artists-in-labs project.' e) Exhibition (KKL, Kultur- und Kongresshaus, Lucerne May 2005) in conjunction with Science et Cité: DVD documentaries on the artists-in-labs project.

Results During the time span for the residence and in relation to the The combined result was matched and compared to the

above public forums, there was a great deal of Swiss and in-

above graph in order to assess the diversity of the art and

ternational public press coverage in 2004 and 2005. 2 These

science pairing.

discourses in the press shifted from scepticism to interest over time and our research team was pleasantly surprised to

Public Events

find that at the end of the project all the scientists became

The contract between the artists and the labs took about

more positive as the artists’ reactions had become more re-

six weeks to negotiate and write, because of the copyright

flective and somewhat critical. Consequently, what follows is

and protection issues. An actual sample of this contract can

a summary of what we have learnt from this case study, and

be downloaded from www.artistsinlabs.ch/samplecontract.

we encourage the reader to explore the essays of the team

The team decided that apart from the many legal and organi-

members in this book for further constructive criticism.

sational problems (including these contracts, the working vi-

Overall, we feel that the case studies provided a very viable

sas for the international artists, appropriate housing, materi-

comparison between the arts and the sciences. This was due

als and administration problems), we would create four major

to the large variety of labs, the disciplines and the related

events during the time the artists were in residence. The main

public debates in the project. We also hope the project re-

aim of these public events was to compare notes and open up

sults can be relevant for others to study. In the final research

the discourses between the artist and our generous scientific

colloquium of the ICS and in the report to the funding bodies:

participants during the actual time that the residencies could

(KTI/CTI) we claimed that the artists-in-labs was a satisfying

take place. These were as follows:

and inspiring experience for many people and an important

a) Public conference: 'FUSION 04' (HGK Zurich, July 4th

learning experience for all, including the organizers. There

and 5th, 2003), an initial conference for the artists to meet

were also problems, many of which are made transparent

the the scientists as well as share their work with the public.

in the enclosed artists’ reports. To summarize: the benefits

Panel discussion: 'Why should we collaborate?'

definitely included improvements in the public relations

54

for scientific concepts, an enormous increase in know-how transfer between the arts and the sciences, particularly for the artists and many discussions about the future development of tools or innovative approaches to scientific thought or the potential for further collaborations. The project verified the need for the arts and the sciences to work alongside each other in order to develop more creative and conceptual approaches to the presentation of science and the integration of technology, but 4-6 months is far too short. We now have the knowledge to make the next step: a second round of critical analysis about the sharing and learning of conceptual and interpretative inquiries in the lab context. Our initial belief has been verified. The scientific lab context is one of the most important educational and inspiring inquiries for the creative mind.

Future Potentials This last point was the most poignant for the continuation of the artists-in labs project. Not only should longer time structures be considered but also the fostering of a higher level of collaboration. Such aims would be even more beneficial to the kinds of collaboration between art and science. Artists could again apply to work on a specific scientific research project relevant to a very specific research project in the lab. Even better still, scientists might choose a theme of research which they specifically look for an artist to accompany their project (labs in computer science). However, by far the most interesting scenario would be the following: An artist and a scientist would apply together for a specific project with true collaboration and well defined research ob-

1 The Swiss Innovation Promotion Agency’s creed is 'science to market'. Involving tertiary level institutions such as the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Zurich (HGKZ), it backs joint research and devolpment projects aiming at the strengthening of market-oriented innovation processes, establishing practice-oriented qualifications for academic researchers, and improving cooperation between educational institutions and industry. The promotion follows the bottom-up principle: projects are defined by the participating partners themselves, with the business side covering at least half the costs. The new Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts (like the HGKZ), launched in 1998, represent a new type of academic institution in Switzerland. Whereas the two Federal Institutes of Technology (Lausanne and Zurich) and the traditional universities work on long-term research projects, the Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts focus on immediate applications, and on working with companies to transform basic research results into marketable products and services. 2 List of reviews about the AIL Project: a. The WOZ Wochenzeitung 09.06.05, p 15-16: 'Die Verliererer stehen schon fest' by Joanna Lier b. Tagesanzeiger 20.5.05: 'Die Jagd nach dem Sonnenwind' von Casper Schärer c. Spectrum (PSI Magazine) Januar 05: 'Phyics turns to art' by Beat Gerber about the work of Dominique Bastianello in PSI d. Produktionsweisen HGKZ Jahrbuch 2004, p.216 - S.219: 'Sounds like Art' by Juanita Schläpfer-Miller about the artists-in-labs project, HGKZ / KTI. e. Spectrum (PSI Magazine) Nov.04, p. 26/27: 'PSI-Töne aus der Sound-Skultpur' by Beat Gerber about the work of Nigel Helyer in PSI f. Catalog to the symposium 'Fusion 04', ed. Jill Scott/HGKZ g. Tagesanzeiger 01.09.04: 'Game Art unter Laborbedingungen' by Mirjam Weder about the work of Margarete Jahrmann and Max Moswitzer in the Artificial Intelligence Lab, University of Zurich h. HGKZ Intern 06.04.04: 'Artists in Labs: Zwischen Kunst und Wissenschaft' by René Stettler i. Tranzfert.net Société de l information 07.04.04: 'Les centres de recherche suisses s’ouvrent aux artistes biotech' by Walter Bouvais j. ETH Life 06.05.04: 'Laborkunst' by Rita Schlegel k. Collegium Helveticum, ETHZ, 05.04.04: 'Kunst und Wissenschaft im Dialog' by Julie Harboe l. SwissUP_ Focus on Learning 18.12.03: 'Künstler im Labor/Des artistes au labo' by Adrian Ritter m. HGKZ Intern 1/04 'Künsterinnen und Künstler arbeiten in Wissenschaftslabors' by René Stettler n. HGKZ Jahrbuch 2003, p. 200-205 'Merging mediums, Sharing discourses, Building Bridges' by Jill Scott o. HGKZ Tages-Anzeiger 18.12.03 'Kunstschaffende, hinein ins Forschungslabor' by Barbara Basting.

jectives and shared financial benefits. This scenario, accompanied by further investigation into the social implications of scientific inquiry through thematic conferences and talks, the metaphorical concepts of qualitative interpretation and presentation may well impact on the practical collaboration and in turn on the future of both disciplines. It is obvious that as more artists and scientists get to know each other inside 'the lab context', the benefits will include the sharing of discourses and tools, as well as the potential to further collaborate and invent.

www.artistsinlabs.ch

artists-in-labs

55

SCIENCE LABORATORIES

Life Sciences: GEOBOTANISCHES INSTITUT | ETH ZÜRICH INSTITUTE FOR GEOBOTANICS | SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ZURICH

ZENTRUM FÜR BIOSICHERHEIT UND NACHHALTIGKEIT BATS BASEL BATS CENTRE FOR BIOSAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY BASEL

ZENTRUM FÜR MIKROSKOPIE ZMB | UNIVERSITÄT BASEL ZMB CENTRE FOR MICROSCOPY | UNIVERSITY OF BASEL

Physics: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT PSI VILLIGEN PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTE VILLIGEN

PLANETARIUM VERKEHRSHAUS DER SCHWEIZ LUZERN PLANETARIUM SWISS MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT LUCERNE

Computing & Engineering: INSTITUT FÜR INFORMATIONSYSTEME GLOBIS | ETH ZÜRICH GLOBIS INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS | SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ZURICH

INSTITUT FÜR INFORMATIK | ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB | UNIVERSITÄT ZÜRICH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB | INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH

CENTRE SUISSE D’ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE CSEM ALPNACH|NEUCHÂTEL CSEM SWISS CENTRE FOR ELECTRONICS AND MICROTECHNOLOGY ALPNACH|NEUCHÂTEL

COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY COLAB | ETH ZÜRICH COLAB COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY | SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ZURICH

57

GEOBOTANISCHES INSTITUT

ETH ZÜRICH

INSTITUTE FOR GEOBOTANICS SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ZURICH

Focus

valuable information for the public. Thomas filmed our

Genetic engineering in relation to the public. The ecological

activities aimed at enabling developing countries scientists,

risks of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

to make their own decisions about the safety of GMOs and complemented this aim by collecting individual judgements

Dr. Angelika Hilbeck,

and developing his own perception based on these in a film.

Project Leader

The final film of Thomas confirmed our own aim of building

The Institute for Geobotanics at the ETH focuses on the

the capacity for making independent judgements, rather than

evolution and ecology of plants, including GM plants. This

mimic other often applied concepts of educating 'uninformed

institute coordinates the current GMO Guidelines Project in

groups'. In this respect, Thomas was able to gather many

three countries of the world, including Asia, and also follows

individual reactions about the introduction and use of GMOs

the controversies of genetic engineering in developing

from people we did not reach through our own contacts

countries. The GMO Guidelines Project has an important goal:

(i.e. people on the streets, farmers, college students). Our

international and scientifically acknowledged guidelines and

collaboration with Thomas was true to our original aim, which

methods are to be developed with which to evaluate the risks

was to create a synthesis between art and science around

posed by the cultivation of GMOs. More information can be

the themes of risk and safety in gene technology. In this

found at www.gmo-guidelines.info.

way, the residency was a very valuable collaboration, and because Thomas edited the film right here in the middle of

artists-in-labs

our lab, the scientists learnt a great deal about the creative

Thomas Isler. Thomas spent a number of months with us in

process of making a film. At the end of the project, Thomas

Zurich, Malaysia and Vietnam, analyzing the situation and

organized a showing of his film during our large international

making a very clever public report about GMOs. Unlike some

final conference about the GMO Guidelines Project. We

of the other labs in the artists-in-labs project, our mandate

printed and successfully distributed over 300 DVDs of his

was very precise. We wanted an artist or filmmaker who could

film. This fact indicates that an artistic interpretation of the

both document and comment on the state of GMOs in a

GMO controversy meets a great demand. We are glad that

third world country like Vietnam. Our project was not only to

the Swiss Federal Office for Culture, sitemapping.ch, was

develop scientific risk assessment procedures for the safe use

able to provide further funding to Thomas for a presentation

of GMO applications in certain countries, but also to provide

of his installation about the GMO controversy at the Zurich Museum für Gestaltung in May.

Recommendations We would like to take another artists-in-labs recipient again. We would suggest to focus again on a particular project, and then look for an artist who might fit the project, as this was a very satisfying experience.

Geobotanics: Scientists inspect GM Crops in Vietnam

58

www.geobot.umnw.ethz.ch

ZENTRUM FÜR BIOSICHERHEIT UND NACHHALTIGKEIT BATS

BASEL

BATS CENTRE FOR BIOSAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY BASEL

Focus

Knowledge Transfer

Bio-technology and sustainability, the development and

Teaching modules and study platforms for universities,

implementation of sustainability strategies, pharmacy, bio-

colleges of applied sciences and teacher education

chemistry, medicine.

Target group oriented courses, for example, for decisionmakers in the private and public sectors

Dr. Othmar Käppeli

Knowledge transfer on impacts of Life Sciences applications

Director

The Centre BATS is the business unit of the registered

artists-in-labs

non-profit association 'Safety and Sustainability in Life

Shirley Soh. The project with Shirley Soh raised awareness

Sciences'. The activities of the centre BATS focus on three

about sustainability and the potential of making things

main topics: Research and development, conceptual work

understandable for the public. Many people are either for

on the realization of sustainable technology applications

or against the introduction of GMOs in agriculture. I think

and projects in the public and private sectors. Knowledge

we watched with interest as she tried to comment on the

transfer with the education and training in biosafety and

complex grey zone in the middle. It helped that she had

sustainability management at universities, engineering

been a journalist, because she knew how language could

schools and on continuous educational levels.

be used to open up this discourse. We all learnt a lot from

Sponsor: Association for Safety and Sustainability in Life

the words she constantly changed and pinned onto the walls

Sciences

of the lab and we often used to discuss particular topics. She set up a studio here for production and grew plants

About us

from soil sculptures. It was interesting for us to watch this

Developments in Life Sciences are progressing rapidly. The

process because it contains the art of play. There were lots

Centre BATS deals with the various impacts of Life Sciences

of discussions about how scientific discovery cannot be

on science, economy, ecology and society. The knowledge

isolated from social-political problems, especially in the third

it acquires is subsequently integrated into concepts for

world. Unfortunately, we could not offer her any hands on

decision-making on technology issues. Its activities aim

experience here in the office at BATS, but the artists-in-

to make biotechnological applications fulfil the social and

labs project head organized for her to go to the Centre for

ethical expectations of society.

Microscopy ZMB Basel to trace and film soil bacteria.

Our activities

Recommendations

The Centre BATS was founded in 1993 as part of the

We recommend that the next artists-in-labs project include

Swiss Priority Programme Biotechnology of the Swiss

some funds for certain scientists to be paid as well as the

National Science Foundation. Since January 2002 it has

artists. Also, collaboration should be fostered over more

been sponsored by the supporting association Safety and

time. Four months was not long enough. In the forums and

Sustainability in Life Sciences. The Centre BATS works in

discussions organized by the artists-in-labs organizers, I

close association with the University of Basel.

still noticed an old rift between the Life Sciences and the computer sciences even though these days they share the

Research

same tools. Many transdiciplinary opportunities are also

Methodology of risk and sustainability assessments

coming from within the natural sciences (e.g. molecular

Transdisciplinary

biology and ecology aspects).

impact

research

of

Life

Sciences

applications Scientific principles of legislation and regulation oversight.

www.bats.ch

59

ZENTRUM FÜR MIKROSKOPIE ZMB UNIVERSITÄT

BASEL

ZMB CENTRE FOR MICROSCOPY UNIVERSITY OF BASEL

Focus

operate the microscope and study his own samples from India.

Micro- and nano worlds of natural science through access

Personality makes a lot of difference in a lab like this, and so

to new capturing and photo-recording techniques. electron

long as the artist finds some science friends, this makes a lot

microscopy, special light microscopy.

of difference to their level of integration. Both artists found particular collaborators who could help them understand a

Dr. Markus Dürrenberger,

great deal of difficult information. I also spent a lot of time

Director of management

talking to them about ethical issues.

The Centre for Microscopy at the University of Basel gives support for a large variety of microscopical imaging and

Recommendations

image processing in the natural sciences and medicine.

Next time I would like to start the residency with an exhibition

The ZMB has to be conducive to all kinds of microscopical

of the artists’ works in the foyer for our open UNI night - a

methodologies and image processing. It has to keep up with

yearly public event. This way the scientists would know about

the state of the art in microscopy. Teaching of students and

the artists‘ presence and their work in the labs right from the

training of technicians and students at the microscopes of

beginning. Unlike the other labs, we prefer artists who are

ZMB is another task.

more flexible. Therefore they do not need to know exactly what they want to make before they have been exposed

artists-in-labs

to cellular and nano worlds. We would rather let them be

N.S. Harsha and Isabel Rohner. The role of the ZMB in

inspired and find a particular aspect of the research that they

the Biocentre is to provide an imaging service centre for

find interesting. Then perhaps they can explore the process

scientific researchers. Why not add artists to this unit? We

of this research and tell the public what they have found.

have very expensive microscopes and machines here. One needs to know a lot to run them, so we have technical staff to help all kinds of people using this service. I think the public image of our lab was definitely improved by the presence of Isabel Rohner and N.S. Harsha, the artists-in-residence here. Through discussions they had with the scientists and the technicians, I could tell that the scientist’s perspectives were changed. The type of questions the artists were asking made the scientists think more clearly about the public‘s opinion and about ethics. We noticed that the more exposure we gave the artists, the more dialogue resulted between the scientists themselves. Isabel took advantage of being neutral in order to gain access to other parts of our research labs that even I cannot enter freely. N.S. Harsha, on the other hand, was rather shy but he spent a great deal of time learning to

www.unibas.ch/zmb

60

Artist Isabel Rohner in the Centre for Microscopy ZMB in Basel

The preparation Lab, where the artists spent most of their time

ZMB lab technician preparing samples

Slicing specimen samples in the ZMB preparation lab

61

PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT PSI

VILLIGEN

PSI PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTE VILLIGEN

Focus

we were interested in artists coming to PSI because we think

The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is a multi-disciplinary research

that artistic interpretation of scientific results and scientific

centre for natural sciences and technology. PSI collaborates

visualizations are essential for the communication of science

with national and international universities, other research

to the public. The 1500 scientists here are very focused on

institutions and industry in the areas of solid-state research

their own research. We have large experimental research

and materials sciences, particle physics and astrophysics, life

stations and big laboratories, so it is important to have art

sciences, energy research and environmental research.

on the grounds here as an example of communication to the public. Here, researchers have to learn to present their

Beat Gerber

ideas to others outside their field of experience; therefore

Communication Officer

they need visualization, communication and design training.

PSI concentrates on basic and applied research, particularly

Unfortunately, the artists did not take on this educational

in those fields which are the leading edge of scientific

role, but then the scientists would have to realize that they

knowledge, but also contribute to the training of the next

need these audio and visual communication skills. However,

generation and pave the way to sustainable development

I imagine it was difficult for the artists to get to know the

of society and economy. The institute is actively involved in

scientists here as they are so involved in their own research;

the transfer of new discoveries into industry, and offers its

instead only a few scientists worked for the artists which was

services as an international centre of competence, to external

not such a satisfactory result.

organisations. PSI employs 1200 members of staff, making it the largest of the national research institutions - and the

Recommendations

only one of its kind within Switzerland. It develops, builds

We learnt a lot about the next stage. We would recommend

and operates complex large-scale research facilities that

that certain milestones be set next time, stage one could

impose particularly high requirements in terms of knowledge,

be the proposal, stage two the prototype tests and stage

experience and professionalism. PSI is one of the world‘s

three the actual construction. In Sweden, every scientific

leading user laboratories for the national and international

research project must also be conducted in a similar way with

scientific community and hosts 1500 visiting scientists per

presentations to the public at the end of each stage because

year.

the society finances the research. Next time we would define the project by involving science researchers right from the

artists-in-labs

beginning. This would insure that they are more engaged in

Dominik Bastianello and Nigel Helyer. Two artists, Nigel

the project as their own research would then benefit from

Helyer and Dominik Bastianello each spent five months at

the collaboration.

the PSI in Villigen. Nigel lived in accommodation on the facility and Dominik commuted from Zurich. Nigel produced a prototype for a set of interconnected sound sculptures, which could be located outside next to the river. Dominik’s intention was to make a series of related prototypes that explored basic concepts in physics. We are trying to make final results from the prototypes that the artist produced here at PSI. We would like to make their results available to the public by focusing on the medium of site-specific sculpture. This requires raising funds or finding sponsors. So far we are very satisfied with the results of the prototypes. Originally,

62

www.psi.ch

Artist Dominik Bastianello outside the PSI Solar Collectors

The PSI is the largest national research centre in Switzerland and a renowned international user lab (Photo: Luftwaffe Schweiz)

Artist Nigel Helyer takes a break in the PSI landscape

Dr. Nick Schlumpf and Beat Gerber with Helyer’s model

63

PLANETARIUM VERKEHRSHAUS DER SCHWEIZ

LUZERN

PLANETARIUM, SWISS MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT, LUCERNE

Focus

scenes and 3D video animations in Cinema4D computer

Astronomy, astro-physics, communicaton, education.

graphic software and After Effects and the compositing in Digital Fusion and Shake. The result is a HDTV Video-stream

Werner Pfäffli

in the resolution of 1024x768 rendered by Skyvision software

Manager and CG Artist

and projected by 8 Barco-Beamers (6 in the panorama and 2

The production lab in the planetarium at the Swiss Museum

in the zenith). Currently we present a 27-minute programme

of Transport is one of the few laboratories in Europe

entitled 'LIMIT – to the Edge of the World' which gives

where full audio-visual production, including compositing,

information about the galaxy structures and the developing

experimental perspective analysis and 3D animation

of the universe.

techniques for productions in the planetarium dome, takes

We are now creating our fourth show, which has the working

place. The focus of these productions is on astronomy and

title 'Stella Nova'. This is a performance about the death of

quantum physics and the education of the general public.

old suns called supernovae, the birth of young suns and the

The Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne counts as one

dynamic processes of growing planetary systems and the

of the world’s foremost museums. It traces the past, present

genesis or formation of gaseous nebulas. In collaboration with

and future development and importance of transport and

NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Hubble space telescope,

communications in an interesting and understandable way,

scientific institutions, astronomers and astrophysicists we

with wide public appeal.

will visualize the mystic dynamic forces of the universe. Stella Nova seamed an ideal theme for a planetarium show,

The planetarium was founded in 1969, ten years after the

as it would help us showcase the work of astronomers and

opening of the Swiss Museum of Transport in 1959. As part

astrophysicists and explain to the general public how research

of the section of 'Air and Space', it was originally built as

knowledge can be illustrated.

a Sky Theatre with a ZEISS Mark V Star-projector and six panorama slide projectors. An additional eighty-four slide

artists-in-labs

projectors for full-dome presentations were added in 1986.

Andrew Quinn and Clea T. Waite. The residency in our

Our eighteen meter planetarium dome has 230 concentrically

museum took place for the months of August, October,

oriented seats and the usual assorted control systems.

November and half of December with both artists. Our lab is not a laboratory for basic research, but a production

Our Planetarium: a Sphere of Influence

centre, which offers a great deal of knowledge about the

The last six years has seen an explosion of new technologies,

film production stitching techniques. Originally, we chose

from innovative video-projection, to real-time models of

both artists because each had different skills; Andrew was a

the universe. In 2001, we replaced the old slide-projection

competent computer animator and Clea an artist with great

system with a full-dome-video-projection-system. Following

conceptual construction skills. Normally one person would

this, we started to produce our new planetarium-show

need both skills in order to make a production for such a

'Planetary World' and began to navigate this minefield of

complex construction as the planetarium dome. When the

new production technologies. The planetarium at the Swiss

artists-in-labs organizers approached each artist, they agreed

Museum of Transport is one of the leading places in Europe

to collaborate on one project called 'Moon Walk'. However,

in the field of immersive graphics production and full-dome-

during the first two months of the process of the artists-

video-productions. We are creating large-format digital

in-labs residency, we had a rather difficult time to convince

projection to deliver immersive astronomical and science-

the two artists to continue to work together on one project,

related experiences and programming. We construct all the

because the artists had very different processes of working.

64

computer digital imagery, astronomy, physics and seamless

A fish-eye view of the 'Planitheater', the Planetarium Lucerne

The 'Milky-Way Nebula' produced by the Planetarium Lucerne

While Andrew could impress us with his skills of computer animation and special effects he was unable to construct storylines based on his own content, as he was used to working in teams. Clea, on the other hand, was talented in constructing metaphors from scientific knowledge but she was not used to making storyboards. She had another approach - to search and let the piece evolve. Half way through the project we had to re-calculate the project with the director of the artists-in-labs project Jill Scott. We then split the collaboration into two separate works. It is important to say here that the planetarium expected that the results of the artists-in-labs residency would be shown to the museum’s public. In the beginning of the project there were many unknown components but we were surprised with the

Clea Waite and Andrew Quinn learn from Werner Pfäffli, manager of the Planetarium

fine result. We learnt a lot from this situation.

Recommendations Next time we would make a three-day introduction to the artist/artists in the final selection, then supply each applicant with a special dome planetarium storyboard. They would have to use this storyboard to present their visual ideas in order to win the residency. Also three months are not long enough, we would need to make the residency at least five to six months long. If collaborations are to occur then we would suggest having both an artist and an astronomer work together rather than two artists. This would mean finding some extra funding for the scientist to participate.

www.verkehrshaus.ch

65

INSTITUT FÜR INFORMATIONSYSTEME GLOBIS ETH

ZÜRICH

GLOBIS INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS/SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ZURICH

Focus

Interactive Paper

Society is facing a radical change both in terms of the volume

Despite the emergence of digital technologies, paper persists

of information that we have access to and can manipulate, as

as a fundamental resource for many human activities.

well as the ways in which we can exchange this information.

Nowadays, documents tend to be created and distributed

The Institute for Information Systems at ETH Zurich has a

electronically, but paper continues to be a preferred medium

long tradition in research and education in classic areas of

for many reading and writing activities. Paper is cheap, light,

information science and engineering such as information

mobile, easily annotated in various ways and supports forms

models, databases and information retrieval. To meet the

of collaboration difficult to mimic in digital worlds. The

requirements of the new information society, the researchers

GlobIS group is involved in a number of projects investigating

are also dealing with technologies for web engineering,

how new technologies can turn paper into an interactive

personal information systems, mobile and collaborative

medium. Users can select links on paper using a special pen

information environments and large-scale information

and activate a whole range of digital services such as playing

filtering services.

a video clip, displaying a web page or retrieving requested information which is then given to the user through one of

Prof. Dr. C. Moira Norrie

many possible output channels including generated speech.

Director

Interaction can be mixed with capture, enabling users’

Within the institute, the global information systems group,

annotations and drawings to be converted to digital form and

(GlobIS) is developing new methods, tools and platforms

also linked back to their location within a paper document.

for collaborative information environments. These include

There are numerous research projects and commercial

advanced database technologies with integrated support for

products related to interactive paper and while they tend to

personalised and context-dependent information delivery, a

vary widely in terms of their goals and technologies, most

framework for mixed-media information and customisable

are based on some means of detecting user actions on paper

collaborative editors. Paper is a pervasive medium that

documents and linking them to actions in the digital world. If

receives special attention in many of our projects as we

paper documents are to be interactive independent of their

seek to provide it equal footing with digital media in the

physical position or attachment to a special device, then the

modern world of hyperlinked information spaces. Being able

mechanism for detecting user actions on paper must rely on

to bridge the divide between the paper and digital worlds,

some sort of encoding of information on the paper itself.

and to move seamlessly back and forth between the two, opens up many new possibilities in terms of how we work

One of our industry project partners Anoto has developed

with documents, publish information and interact with our

a technology to track the movement of a pen on paper to

environments. It raises many design issues ranging from how

enable the capture of handwriting. A special digital pen has

to design interactive documents to how to design the devices

a camera situated alongside the writing stylus to capture

that enable us to interact with paper. A pen-like device may

images of an almost invisible pattern of infra-red absorbing

now also have interaction as well as writing capabilities.

dots printed on paper, as indicated in Fig. 1. The pattern

What was traditionally thought of as a writing device can

of dots encodes x-y positions in a vast virtual document

be transformed into a reading device that tracks movement

space. Camera images are recorded and processed in real-

across paper and captures what is written. These were issues

time giving up to 100 x-y positions per second. Several pages

that also fascinated Axel Vogelsang, the artist who joined

of handwriting can be captured and stored within the pen

the GlobIS group under the artists-in-labs program. Before

before being transmitted to a PC. While data transmission on

reporting on his work with the group, we therefore explain a

demand is sufficient for writing capture, immediate transfer

little more about our work on interactive paper.

of position data is required if the digital pen is to be used

66

Fig. 1: Pen and graphically marked paper, a development by the GlobIS group for the Paper ++ Project

Fig. 2: General link model and plug-in mechanism

as an interaction device. Using special prototype pens from

artists-in-labs

Anoto, we are able to switch the pen to streaming mode and

Axel Vogelsang. In Axel Vogelsang’s project called 'Lost

use it for both real-time interaction and writing capture.

Cosmonaut', the documents have some pre-authored content, but visitors are encouraged to add texts and drawings to

GlobIS is responsible for the server software and tools that

the artefacts themselves. While the linearity of the story

enable active areas to be defined on paper and linked to

is already broken by giving a user the freedom to select

any kind of digital resource, including application services.

arbitrary information in three different RFID documents,

This is achieved through a general cross-media link server

each user further becomes an author of the story by adding

(iServer) that was developed in our group. The iServer

his or her own content. Thereby, the interactive narrative

framework enables any form of media resource, and selected

collaboratively written by different users evolves over time.

elements within that resource, to be linked to other resources

For the 'Lost Cosmonaut' installation, it was important to

and elements within them. For example, an active area in a

have a system architecture that is flexible in managing digital

paper document could be linked to a time sequence in a

information and delivering information on a variety of output

video which, in turn, could be linked to a web page and a

channels. Also since the requirements of the installation

text document. Resources can be dynamic as well as static

changed as the artist developed his ideas, it was essential

thereby enabling links to activate any form of processing

to have an extensible information platform that not only

such as querying a database or displaying a particular slide

supported the rapid prototyping of the application in terms

during a presentation. This generality is achieved through a

of content and services, but also enabled easy integration of

combination of a general link model and a plug-in mechanism

new input and output channels. The overall 'Lost Cosmonaut'

as illustrated in Fig. 2. A new type of media resource can be

architecture is based on a combination of iServer and the

introduced into the link framework by implementing a plugin

webpublishing framework OMSwe that was also developed

for the resource and a particular form of selector that can be

in the GlobIS group. The main changes that were made to

used to identify elements within resources of that type. For

the iServer framework included adding a plug-in to enable

example, as shown in Fig. 2, the plug-in for interactive paper

arbitrary physical objects to be linked to resources through

uses geometrical shapes within pages to define link anchors

the use of RFID tags, introducing components to be able to

whereas the plug-in for movies uses time spans.

control multiple simultaneous output channels to support ambient sound, lighting and video, and also extensions to our software for capturing and replaying handwritten texts and drawings.

www.globis.ethz.ch

67

INSTITUT FÜR INFORMATIK ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH

Focus

Neural interfacing (combining artificial and neural systems)

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Simulation.

Self-reconfiguration, self-assembly, and self-repair (based on processes of self-organization)

Prof. Dr. Rolf Pfeifer

Evolution of an artificial cell (in the real world, i.e. in a

Director

chemical laboratory)

The main goal of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is to work out the

Translation of results into the educational context.

principles underlying intelligent behaviour. These principles

The research program is very transdisciplinary and is based on

will enable us on the one hand to understand natural forms of

the conviction that (a) intelligence is a multifaceted research

intelligence (humans, animals), and on the other to design and

field that requires the investigation of a wide range of topic

build intelligent systems (computer programs, robots, other

areas, and (b) the interaction between the various disciplines

artefacts) for research and application purposes. In addition,

is highly productive. For example, engineers and computer

they will change the way we view ourselves and the world

scientists can learn from nature, that is, from animals and

around us. The overall 'philosophy' of our research program is

natural evolution, and biologists and psychologists can learn

provided by the book 'Understanding Intelligence' (by Pfeifer

from building robots and developing computer programs.

and Scheier, 1999; second printing, paperback edition 2000;

In our laboratory researchers from a large diversity of

Japanese translation in 2001.). This 'philosophy' outlines the

backgrounds such as computer science, mathematics, physics,

major implications of embodiment for intelligent behaviour. A

biology, ethnology, neuroscience, psychology, philosophy,

new popular science version summarizing goals, theories and

mechanical and electronic engineering are cooperating on a

visions will appear in 2006 entitled 'How the Body shapes the

number of projects towards our overall goal of understanding

Way we think – a new View of Intelligence' (by Rolf Pfeifer

intelligence. Recently, in an experiment called artists-in-labs,

and Josh Bongard, MIT Press).

a number of artists worked in our laboratory for a few months, an experience that was highly beneficial for both scientists

Research Program

and artists. All projects contribute, one way or other, to our

The research program consists of nine major of research

central theme. More specifically, they are intended to explore

strands that all contribute to the overall goal of Artificial

the core concepts that form the basis of our approach: they

Intelligence:

include embodiment (the physical realization of agents),

Dynamics, locomotion, and orientation (with a focus

morphology, system-environment coupling, dynamics, and

on morphology, materials, real-world interaction, and

material properties.

emergence) Learning, development and neural modelling, an area which

artists-in-labs

has become known as 'developmental robotics' (with a

Margarete Jahrmann, Max Moswitzer and Adrianne Wortzel.

focus on the implications of morphology and materials for cognition)

Dr. Daniel Bisig

Artificial evolution and morphogenesis (i.e. the co-evolution

Senior Researcher

of morphology, materials, and neural substrate, with a focus

We hosted two art projects - one by Margarete Jahrmann

on genetic regulatory networks)

and Max Moswitzer and the other by Adrianne Wortzel - each

Collective intelligence (in particular the emergence of

project lasted five months. The scientists here at our lab still

hierarchies in societies of 'artificial animals', with a focus on

talk about the value of the artists’ contribution during the

emergence of structure)

artists-in-labs residencies. They agree that the artists brought

Artificial Intelligence and design/art (which includes the

in external attachments and concepts, which are connected

application of evolutionary methods for design)

to the real world. Our lab produces robots, but how can the

68

Various Robotic investigations in the Artificial Intelligence Lab

Adrianne Wortzel and Dr. Daniel Bisig in the foyer of the Artificial Intelligence Lab, Department of Information Systems

real world, the public be involved? Artists certainly supply this link. The two projects fit well into our focus, which is to both simulate and construct Artificial Intelligence concepts. The GoApe project from Margarete Jahrmann and Max Moswitzer will continue to be developed by us in our lab because of further funding from the Swiss Federal Office of Culture BAK, sitemapping.ch. The first stage was a successful prototype, and the next a challenge. However through this funding we are happy we can provide some wages for the scientists to work on the project. Adrianne Wortzel’s project will also continue, as this allowed the scientists to see their own research as a combined evolution over time. The type of investigation she started was such a creative way to visualize the potential of the robots in our lab, that many of the scientists are interested to see the results. Generally, both artists‘ presence helped to produce a crossover in the explanation of artificial systems and add metaphorical and social connotations to our scientists‘ research. This was a novel experience as in science everything one does has to be justified and in art there is so much freedom and it seems conventions are there to be broken.

Recommendations In both cases 5 months per artist was too short a period of time and we would recommend about 12 months, with some breaks in between. This is the time needed to develop such creative and original projects from prototype to reality.

www.ifi.unizh.ch/ailab

69

CENTRE SUISSE D’ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE CSEM CSEM SWISS CENTRE FOR ELECTRONICS AND MICROTECHNOLOGY ALPNACH/NEUCHÂTEL

Focus Micro- and Nano-technology

Swiss, European and Worldwide Partnerships

The Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology

About a quarter of the company’s revenue is generated

(CSEM) is a Swiss applied research centre active in micro-

through international projects such as for the European Union

and nanotechnology, and related system engineering.

or the ESA. In order to conduct its research and development

It prides itself in originating and developing innovative

projects efficiently and to create viable technologies

technologies for its industrial and commercial partners. CSEM

for future exploitation, CSEM has entered into strategic

serves customers worldwide and is active in many European

partnerships with a number of organizations, universities and

countries and increasingly in the US and Japan.

industrial partners. Among the companies and organizations with which CSEM has teamed up are EPFL in Lausanne, IMT

Dr. Ulrich Claessen

in Neuchâtel, CEA-LETI in France or the Fraunhofer Institute

Director

in Germany. Thomas Hinderling, CEO of CSEM, summarizes:

Bridging the Gap between Research and Industry

"CSEM intends to play not only an important national role,

CSEM Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique

but also an important European and global one."

SA, based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, is an established

CSEM has entered into a long-term contractual agreement

research organization active in the fields of micro- and

with the Swiss government, which partially funds the

nanotechnology, microelectronics, robotics, photonics and

company’s research activities by contributing some CHF 20

communication technologies. The company sees itself as a

million per annum. The goal of this partnership is to create a

bridge between scientific research and commercially viable

bridge between science and the marketplace that produces

results for industry; its approach is characterized by the

a competitive advantage framework for the Swiss national

development and integration of key technologies, cutting-

economy, and to exploit technology platforms and create

edge know-how and core competencies so as to enhance

new companies and jobs.

customers’ competitive advantages.

From Aerospace to Robots CSEM’s aim is to conduct applied research and development

One of the key success factors of CSEM is its multidisciplinary

for the micro- and nanotechnology industries. This is

approach. This allows for the integration of various

coupled with the idea of technology transfer to industrial

technologies into customized solutions for markets such as

partners and setting up spin-off or start-up companies

telecommunications, mechatronics, aerospace, medical and

– in fact, during the past seven years, CSEM has founded

healthcare technology. These include technologies such as

twenty-one new companies. In 2004, CSEM had a turnover

mechanisms for space telescopes or sensor-based control

of CHF 51 million. Approximately 280 highly qualified and

of robots. Another example is smart clothes that offer a

specialised employees from various scientific and technical

multitude of possibilities, including remote monitoring of

disciplines work for CSEM in Neuchâtel and the two regional

vital functions, alert functions, intelligent feedback and

centres in Zurich and Alpnach. They represent more than

information to target healthcare providers.

20 nationalities and constitute the basis of the company’s creativity, dynamism and innovation potential. Another 350

The innovative product WIOS is a label-free, biochemical

work in its spin-offs and start-ups.

sensing technology for allergen, antibiotic and pesticide detection, assay optimization or the diagnosis of diseases and gene identification. One of CSEM’s most notable products is the Swiss Ranger SR-2 miniature range camera, an optical imaging system that offers high-resolution 3D image data

70

CSEM’s headquarters in Neuchâtel-main building

CSEM: 3D-Camera

in real time. Its fields of application include surveillance and

our other group in Neuchâtel, where she worked with the

security, automotive, industrial control and robot vision as

fall-detector, a tool for the safety of elderly people which

well as human-machine interfacing.

detects when they fall. The detector is a copyrighted piece of hardware and software.

As for the field of information and communication

We are glad the artists-in-labs leaders made an official

technologies (ICT), CSEM has developed strong expertise in

contract, which protected our copyright as she was able to

wireless communications networks, from component level up

return with her work to Singapore. We actually believe that

to system integration. The company’s WiseNET® technology

art can be a catalyst for other things besides the presentation

offers a network of distributed sensor nodes that combine

of science to the public, as in Margaret‘s case the project was

sensing, signal processing, control and short-range radio

an innovative concept for a product to help domestic workers

communication capabilities in an extremely compact, low-

communicate about their problems. Art can add autonomy,

power system. At system integration level, CSEM’s technology

diversity and creativity, all of which might add to the original

allows for the coexistence of network protocols, low-power

vision of our own research.

communications, integrated access to mobile networks and reconfigurable radio systems (4-G).

Recommendations We would hope that next time we could carefully choose the

artist-in-lab

project here in our lab, which might benefit from the input

Margaret Tan. In retrospect Margaret impressed us as a well-

of an artist. Consequently, we would do it again, especially if

organized and focused artist, with a very pleasant attitude

we could find some funding for the scientists’ work. Then we

towards people. Being a beginner in electronics she needed

could certainly invest more time on our side.

help to realize her project. At the beginning, Margaret worked with us in CSEM’s Regional Centre in Alpnach where she experimented with some of our robotics technologies. Even though we were not able to invest a lot of time in Margaret‘s project it was fascinating to see the parallels and links between art and technology. Additionally, on the social side Margaret made quite a difference to some of the people here in the lab and she opened up their scientistminds to modern media art. She gave an excellent lecture about life and culture in Singapore and we realized during the cooperation that art can be interactive and functional rather then decorative. Margaret also had a good contact to

www.csem.ch

71

COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY COLAB

ETH ZÜRICH

COLAB COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY/SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ZURICH

Focus

artists-in-labs

Computational science and engineering.

Tiffany Holmes. Tiffany’s work was concerned with the realtime multimedia presentation of water quality and pollution

Prof. Dr. Petros Koumoutsakos, Head of the Steering Committee

indicators, so as to make scientific results accessible to the

Research in the CoLab focuses on modelling, simulation and

found computational mathematics difficult to comprehend

optimization of problems as they emerge in engineering and

but she could abstract and translate problems into her own

life sciences.

language. This created a good chemistry with members of

Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) entails

our group but we did not find a clear link with the work of

interdisciplinary research, by a sustained interaction of a

Tiffany that would directly benefit a scientific program in our

critical mass of researchers, tackling complex problems

lab. Nevertheless she was able to interact with a number of

of scientific and engineering interest under the unifying

people in our group and in addition she proceeded to contact

concept of computation.

other groups in the ETH Zurich where she found practical help

It relies on the explosive growth of Information Technology,

for the experimental aspects of her project. I also thought it

which allows new subjects to be addressed by scientific

was good for us to see visualization of scientific results from

simulation, while expanding the application of computation

another perspective. I am not too sure how much we learnt

in the experimental arena. Key research topics include

about art, but I believe that we realized that art is a powerful

multi-scale computation, data mining and grid computing

way of communicating with people, beyond scientific Power

implemented in applications spanning areas such as cell

Point presentations.

general public. Tiffany has been a good match for this lab. She

biology, nanotechnology and finance.

Recommendations This first interaction between artists and scientists in our lab was very positive and we would like to try this collaboration again in the future. In a future project it may be better to integrate the artist into a specific scientific project, as this would prompt the scientists to co-operate and be more closely involved. One could try to match artists and scientists working together on the basis of a concrete project that requires both aspects for its success. One may try to set up some concrete themes with the artists-in-labs group first, then try to solicit interest from both parties.

Artist Tiffany Holmes in front of the entrance to the CoLab

www.colab.ethz.ch 72

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE FINAL REPORTS

Life Sciences: SHIRLEY SOH (SINGAPORE) ARTIST IN THE CENTRE FOR BIOSAFETY & SUSTAINABILITY, BASEL

THOMAS ISLER (SWITZERLAND) ARTIST IN THE INSTITUTE FOR GEOBOTANICS, ZURICH

N.S. HARSHA (INDIA) ISABEL ROHNER (SWITZERLAND) ARTISTS IN THE CENTRE FOR MICROSCOPY, BASEL

Physics: ANDREW QUINN (ITALY/AUSTRALIA) & CLEA T. WAITE (USA/GERMANY) ARTISTS IN THE PLANETARIUM, SWISS MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT, LUCERNE

DOMINIK BASTIANELLO (SWITZERLAND) NIGEL HELYER (AUSTRALIA) ARTISTS IN THE PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTE, VILLIGEN

Computing & Engineering: MARGARETE JAHRMANN & MAX MOSWITZER (SWITZERLAND/AUSTRIA) ADRIANNE WORTZEL (USA) ARTISTS IN THE INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB, ZURICH

MARGARET TAN (SINGAPORE) ARTIST IN THE SWISS CENTRE FOR ELECTRONICS AND MICROTECHNOLOGY, ALPNACH

TIFFANY HOLMES (USA) ARTIST IN THE COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY, ZURICH

AXEL VOGELSANG (GERMANY/UK) ARTIST IN THE INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS, GLOBIS, ZURICH

73

Thomas Isler

SWITZERLAND

ARTIST IN THE INSTITUTE FOR GEOBOTANICS, ETH ZURICH

Disciplines: Political Documentary Film, Video Installation. Project Proposal: Vietnam Connection. People from Switzerland and Vietnam meet in order to work on genetically modified organisms. What communication structures does this meeting imply?

(Photo: 'Testfeld', installation by Thomas Isler at the Museum für Gestaltung Zurich, April - September 2005)

74

THE BEHAVIOUR OF SCIENTISTS

Thomas Isler

The trip with the scientists

Month one

I began my stay in the artists-in-labs program by boarding a

Upon resuming my residency, I planned to stay at the actual

plane together with my scientist partner from the Institute

Institute for Geobotanics (ETH) in Zurich. There I spent my

for Geobotanics, Dr. Angelika Hilbeck. We were headed

time establishing the infrastructure needed in order to process

for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend a UN conference on

the video material from my Asian trips. The lab at the Institute

biosafety. I spent a week immersed in gene technology and

for Geobotanics or 'the geobot' as I called it obviously is not

politics, doing some lobbying and strategizing with diplomats

equipped for housing documentary filmmakers and video

and non-governmental organizations, the so-called NGOs. A

artists, but they did provide me with a good computer, an

great portion of my time was also naturally spent getting to

office and the artists-in-labs group supplied me with extra

know the group of scientists working with Dr. Hilbeck, as

software.

well as becoming familiar with their project on guidelines for

Except for Dr. Angelika Hilbeck and Evelyne Underwood,

biosafety, one they had already spent years researching.

associate researcher, I had very little contact with the rest of the scientists in the institute during this first month. Our

The following month, I returned to Asia to film this

contact was primarily on a social basis, as I found it very

same group as they led a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City,

important during this time to maintain an impartial distance

Vietnam. The workshop was about the expected ecological

while editing the videos. This distance served to be important

consequences of planting BT Cotton in Vietnam. BT Cotton

for the very reason that, to my own surprise, I discovered

contains a foreign gene originally derived from soil bacteria

through my rough footage that the scientists thought and

and repells insects. I initially enjoyed seeing myself in the role

dealt with the subject of genetically modified crops and

of observer, peeking over the scientists’ shoulders with my

organisms (GMOs) in a very emotional manner. Through

video camera, while studying their form of communication.

comparing them in the edit, I could see that they were quite

I found it interesting to examine the way in which scientists

unwavering in their exact opinions and political views. And

from around the world communicate with one another. In

although my position did not differ fundamentally from that

fact, the discrepancy between scientists from industrial

of the scientists at the 'geobot', I was careful to avoid any

countries and scientists from developing countries was

influence they might have on the film’s development at that

not as large as I had thought. Everyone spoke the same

stage.

technical language (English) and most had been educated in European and American universities. There was an obvious

Month two

recognizable cultural homogeneity. I was searching for

In the second month of my stay, I was posed with the sudden

contrast. I found it between the life of the workshop going

challenge of finding a good but affordable translator working

on indoors and the life taking place outside on the streets.

from Vietnamese into German. I also found myself pushing up

So I took to the streets with my camera with a young man I

against the limits of the artists-in-labs program in terms of the

hired called Quang, from Ho Chi Minh City. Quang served as

realization of a film. This marked the beginning of a difficult

my translator while taxiing me around the city on his moped.

search. Finally, I did find a translator but it was doubtful that

We filmed interviews with students, passers-by, even monks

I could finish the film by the end of the residency.

to find out what these people knew and thought about gene technology. Later we even rode together out into the

Parallel to my work in the editing studio, I began planning

countryside to visit farmers and technicians and students at

a video installation on gene technology in farming. As I

a University of Biotechnology. I then took a break of two

was already fascinated by the strong contradictions among

months following my Vietnam trip to finish another film.

scientists in their evaluation of gene technology, I was

75

Still from the film 'Vietnam Transgene' by Thomas Isler

Test fields for genetically manipulated crops, Plant Institute. ETH Zurich

interested to learn about the situation in Switzerland. Through

of the conference, where it was positively received by a very

Angelika, I had learnt about GMO research in Switzerland and I

large audience of scientists, including those from Vietnam.

began planning the filming of Switzerland’s first test-run crop

I was especially happy that the scientists from Vietnam and

in Lindau of genetically-modified wheat. It was developed

all the other international groups involved in the workshop

by the very same Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)

wanted to take copies of the DVD 'Vietnam Transgene' back

which housed the 'geobot'. Unfortunately, I was upset to

home to show other scientists in their own institutes.

hear that I was not able to obtain a filming permit due to the ETH’s hesitancy toward what they called 'unmanageable

What did I learn?

publicity'. Consequently, I found myself on the front lines

My time spent with the scientists in South East Asia, and

of the whole dispute including the ensuing rift between the

then at the Institute for Geobotanics, was marked by two

scientists. I was clearly in the wrong camp in the eyes of the

very different kinds of knowledge transfers. The first

ETH management! Therefore, I decided to translate this

was a direct and active transfer of expertise in the area of

revealing experience into a new installation piece.

ecological consequences of genetically-modified organisms,

Later, in mid-October, I submitted an application to

researched through the behaviour of insects. I was taught

Sitemapping.ch (Swiss Federal Office of Culture) requesting

about the testing procedures as well as how to follow a very

the funding for this video installation entitled 'Testfeld'.

concrete case study on BT Cotton in Vietnam. The scientists

At the end of November, I received the positive decision

were always very present, offering me clear explanations. In

that Sitemapping had granted me the funding, enabling

fact, I was very impressed by their willingness to express their

the installation to come to realization. The artists-in-labs

ideas in terms I could understand.

group recommended my work to curator Andreas Anders from the HGKZ, the Museum of Design, Zurich (Museum

The other knowledge transfer which occurred (or was

für Gestaltung, Zürich). It was shown there in 2005 in

'realized') was much more subtle. Gradually I came to notice

an exhibition called 'Einfach Komplex: Bildbäume und

that the behaviour of the scientists was a really integrated part

Baumbilder in der Wissenschaft'.

of the actual scientific study. It was striking to see the way in which arguments were postulated in a 'scientific' but very

In terms of the film, the Institute for Geobotanics extended

diplomatic manner, in Vietnam, and then at the same time,

my residency for another month so that I could finish it and

to observe how emotional, calculated and sometimes even

Dr. Angelika Hilbeck approached me with the request to put

mean-spirited, those same scientists could become. The area

together the cultural itinerary for the closing conference of

of gene technology is certainly a mine-field, highly emotional

the GMO guidelines project in January 2005. This enabled

and surrounded by lobbyists attacking it from many sides. I

me to finish the documentary video, which I had now

found myself in the midst of a political debate influenced, on

entitled 'Vietnam Transgene'. It was premiered at the closing

the one hand, by very weighty economic forces, and on the

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Still from the film 'Vietnam Transgene' by Thomas Isler

Isler editing in the studio he built at the Institute for Geobotanics

other hand, by very social and even religious ideologies, all

which the scientists in this institute examine environmental

being debated through, and with, science.

issues. For example, I could really imagine, that the whole complex issue of invasive plants would be a real find for an

As a documentary filmmaker, this political debate interested

upcoming participating artist!

me much more than the detailed aspects of the scientific

However, at least the first two months in a lab like this will

research of the GMO guidelines project. Both resultant

always be needed just for orientation and I think that a

projects, the installation and the video, grapple instead with

great deal of potential lies in being able to build easy-going

the relationship between science and society. I was given free

personal relationships with one another. There may always

range to explore this debate, and I enjoyed a great deal of

be initial misgivings in terms of an 'artist or filmmaker' being

feedback with the scientists about these sensitive issues. Dr.

'resident' in an institute like the Institute for Geobotanics,

Hilbeck often referred to me as 'my artist', which reflected

but I quickly learned how to joke with the scientists about the

my role at the 'geobot' - a free license to do as I wished.

'role' they expected from me. Naturally, this occurred only because the scientists themselves were quickly able to adjust

I also learnt that it is important to distribute the work of the

to my humour, as well.

artist back into the scientific community. My video managed to reach the scientists directly, where it can be debated in

It was also important to get to know the other artists in the

their own working environments.

artists-in-labs project. It was beneficial and inspiring to have my time in the artists-in-labs project coincide with the other

Upon Reflection

artists who were interested in similar issues.

Overall, my time at the artists-in-labs project was a positive experience. It enabled me to delve intensely into the debate

Credits

surrounding gene technology. I quickly got to know many

Angelika Hilbeck, Evelyne Underwood, Edith Underwood

very interesting scientists and was able to get an up-close

Ahn Palla, Quang Cong Thang, David Andow, Christof

look, which in my case was extremely valuable. I think the

Sautter, Sitemapping.ch, Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich, the

main problem for me was the short duration of the artists-

artists-in-labs research team.

in-labs project. Four months, plus a trip to Asia, is just not enough time to really seriously examine these complex scientific questions in depth. Of course, it was great to travel twice to South East Asia, although I do think that any upcoming artists to take part in this program will find it interesting to stay at this institute, even without the inclusion of such a trip. It is fascinating to observe the manner with

77

N.S. Harsha

INDIA

ARTIST IN THE CENTRE FOR MICROSCOPY, ZMB, BASEL

Disciplines: Visual Art, Painting, Site Specific and Community-based Art Projects Project Proposal: Room for Digression. This project proposes to form a collaborative activity resulting in the construction of a physical space titled 'Room for Digression'. By using visuals, texts and other materials from the ZMB, the focus would be to discover the related artistic and social meanings in 'images' from the micro world. The project would evolve as a result of both scientific and artistic inquiry.

(Prototype diagram by N.S. Harsha: a large-scale sculpture based on the myths and realities of cows in India and Switzerland)

78

METAPHORS FROM THE NANO-WORLD

N.S. Harsha

Month one

Month two

Many friends of mine were really surprised when I told them I

My daily routine fell into place. I even managed to cycle

would be an artist in residence in a science lab. By the end of

on the right side of the road on the way to the lab! At the

the first month, I was sitting there in the lab and wondering

lab I became very absorbed in many exciting nano images.

how to tell them about the initial experience. It was a real

I felt like a sailor or explorer from the past, who had just

'knock knock on the top of my head' because even at that

discovered a new exotic land. One can take a vertical dive

early stage my understanding of planet earth had changed

from the macro world into nano world, in a couple of seconds,

forever.

but a horizontal journey inside nano world can take weeks

I did not want to explore new 'art materials' or 'techniques'

to cover just one square centimetre. Perhaps during my

in the lab. Instead, my interest was to attempt to identify the

five months of residency, I may have travelled only a few

poetry within the scientific inquiry there and the potentials

millimetres. This was an intriguing thought indeed, and it

of scientific metaphors in a poetic form. I wanted to allow

mocked my understanding of our planet. Still more ethical

my experience there to influence my thoughts; therefore I

issues were discussed by the scientists. Ethics, it seems, is

was very open, with no solid plans. My first few weeks were

a very tricky word and many times people use it according

filled with learning about the lab, the people, Swiss food,

to their own advantages. Perhaps, very few scientists would

the scientific web sites and the nano-world. Soon I was

compromise their own research for an ethical cause and

introduced to the process of developing samples for different

I even heard one person describing their experiments on

kinds of microscopes. Towards the end of the month, I was

animals as a 'necessary evil'. I am sure all the people who are

allowed to work on my own on few of the microscopes. I

involved in these issues are not ignorant of 'pain'. Personally,

didn’t find them so complex but I was very conscious about

I could not resolve this issue so I felt quite helpless about it

how much they cost! It took this month for me to understand

but it was good to meet other artists from the artists-in-labs

the role and nature of work of at the ZMB. The role of the

project regularly and discuss these issues. It was inspiring to

ZMB in the Biocentre is to visualize nano-images for different

hear about their ideas about the interface between art and

research groups from many parts of the world. One of the on-

science. For example, one of the artists-in-labs participants,

going projects was about the eyes of drosophilae (fruit flies).

Andrew Quinn, works with digital animation and his interest

Every day I walked past thousands of drosophilae stored in

relies on technology and fantasy rather than on content.

glass containers for the scientific experiments. There were

My position is the opposite; for me content always comes

even images of drosophilae with many legs and eyes all over

before the technology. In another exchange with Margaret

their body. Ethical issues surrounded and astounded me! My

Tan, she asked me how I felt about one of the artists-in-labs

silence was not a sign of acceptance but I was keen to hear the

sessions and I told her that I could not relate to some of the

other side of story from scientists who were involved in this

issues. She replied: "Ok, just say you didn’t hear what you

type of research. What if such experiments were undertaken

wanted to hear, isn’t that true?" This was a nice tongue-in-

on large animals like elephants or cows? Would the degree of

cheek expression. It was great to share the flat with other

ethical reaction from people be similar? Because most of the

'artists-in-labs' in Basel, as we were able to discuss our ideas

animals used for experiments are so small in size, is the pain

and compare our experiences in the labs and the chance to

hidden from our view? Each day after many hours at the lab,

observe how each other’s works were progressing.

I spent some time on the banks of the Rhine thinking about these questions of life on earth.

79

N.S. Harsha at the artists-in-labs conference 'Fusion 04', HGK Zurich 2004

Nanoscale: imported nostril hair from a cow in Mysore, India

Month three

can be less creative because she or he is locked in her or

The previous two months had slipped by very fast and

his goal. A person who is creative is free from any goals."

each day was filled with new information. There are many

Using this concept as a starting point, I continued working

questions generated by science, such as "how does nature

on my community on-line project in the Biocentre, in which

work" but I started to wonder about "why things work".

scientists could perhaps contribute to a collective artwork.

Why for example are there no answers to so many questions

So I hosted an animated invitation for this event on the

about nature? Once I received this reply to my question: "You

Biocentre’s web page and a few posters were put up around

simply don’t ask such questions in science." There seemed to

the building. Actually, I received only one response for this

be a lot of do’s and don‘ts in scientific communities about the

invitation. I have to say I was prepared for ten responses but

type of questions you should ask, and it seems that scientists

it was challenging for me to find only one response.

rarely show an interest in non-scientific questions. I started

It had taken me three months to feel quite comfortable in the

working on the idea of collaborating with scientists on an

scientific atmosphere and this kind of invitation had still failed

internal net-based project. Initially, my intention was to

to entice any creative collaboration on an artwork. However,

extract other possible meanings out of the scientific images

with this one scientist who did respond, Roderick Lim, we had

surrounding all of us in the lab. One day in the canteen, I saw

very rich conversations about art and science on a personal

a cup, with an image of a smiling cow and I started to wonder

level. He was working on a very interesting experiment to

about other potentials of embedding human emotions into

convert the signals from the Atomic Force Microscope into

images of cows. After an interesting discussion about this

musical notes and I was actually with him when he succeeded

topic with Dr. Markus Dürrenberger, he helped me to import

in doing this. It was a great pleasure to see him so excited and

scientific samples of a cow from Mysore, India. I spent a great

we both discussed further possibilities in this direction. I also

amount of time with these samples at the nano level under

met some other scientists who were passionate about making

the microscope as well as the relationship between humans

art works during their free time, and I invited these scientists

and such animals in a place like Switzerland compared to a

to meet the other artists in our artists-in-labs forum. My

country like India.

own work with cow samples was progressing well and some people from the lab started getting involved in this project

Month four

by bringing me information about Swiss cows and traditions.

I don’t particularly think art should ask social questions and

I learnt about the 'Alpabzug' ritual for the Swiss cows in the

I prefer the idea that art is free from all reason, therefore

mountains and visited this event with the help of my friend

I hope that my conception of science is also free from any

Eva Muhlethaler. On the Indian side, I had chosen 'Punyakoti'

reason. Therefore I started to feel that pure science is

a Kannada poem from southern India as a central element of

quite diluted, and much of science today is applied science.

my work. This poem celebrates the cow as a symbol of truth

Prof. Walter J. Gehring once said: "A person who has a goal

and so I thought it was an appropriate story for a scientific

80

Swiss cow festival: 'Alpabzug'

Nanoscale: Body hair - Indian cow

Nanoscale: Indian cow dung

experiment. After making initial preparation and planning

Credits

for this work, I decided that I should build this work as a

Jill Scott,Markus Dürrenberger, Marille Hahne, René Stettler,

large walk through nano-image-sculpture in India, as I only

Marcel Düggelin, Vesna Olivieri, Ursula Sauder, Daniel

had one month left for my further research and execution of

Mathys, Wenzel Haller, Ken Dave, Eva Muhlethaler, Roderick

the images.

Lim, Shirely Soh, Isabel Rohner, Bharthi Salimat.

Month five During the last month, many more connections started to happen! My interaction with people in the lab became much more personal and I had many rich meaningful exchanges with the scientists. I realized that my stay in the lab was not just about making an artwork, but also about being in the scientific atmosphere, experiencing surroundings and enlightening myself about the depths of the Life Sciences. However, at the end of my five months, I had certainly collected enough material to start the actual work back home in Mysore, India. I was very excited about completing the work and bringing it back to the ZMB to show it to the scientists and one day I still plan to do so. Now, I realized that the artistic results of my residency were not so immediate and it may take some time for the artwork to come to the surface. Perhaps such residencies need to be free from the question, what are the 'benefits' of this experience on the artists or the scientists? If we drop this question, does it open up a much more needed space for creative thinking? My experience in this project has made me aware of many new dimensions, which prevail inside the warmth and the mysteries of planet earth. In retrospect, I absolutely treasure this nano-experience because I have learnt much more about the substantial components of life and earth.

81

Isabel Rohner

SWITZERLAND

ARTIST IN THE CENTRE FOR MICROSCOPY, ZMB, BASEL

Disciplines: Sculpture, Installation, Performance Art , Illustration Project Proposal: Wounds – or the Search for a Cybernetic System. The project is a research work on how art and science can meet and find new ways of collaboration. My research would use the approach of histology (especially from the perspective of the cell as smallest autonomous unity of life in an organism) as a starting point.

(Photo montage by Isabel Rohner of the 'Façade Performance' with 42 performers from the performance group 'Labor, on the ZMB building)

82

WOUNDS - OR THE SEARCH FOR A CYBERNETIC SYSTEM

Isabel Rohner

"Within the whole body of who he is, an incision was made

kind of knowledge does scientific knowledge preclude?

- and so it is with injuries, that even when they are minor, a

What responsibilities does an institution carry in generating

part of oneself vanishes into them" (Cees Nooteboom).

knowledge? Can knowledge be objective? To what extent is knowledge based on our perception, our senses? Do we

I began my work at the Centre for Microscopy at the University

invent the world or do we discover it?

of Basel (ZMB) in April 2004. The first month was spent familiarising myself with the labs, equipment and facilities. In

Cardiomyocytes

front of a ten-meter-long adhesive tape line, on which I drew

This research project focuses on an analysis of the calcium

one centimeter spaces, I contemplated until units like micro

binding ending protein S100A1, its localization in the

and nano-meters lost their abstract character. I spent two

neonatal cardiomyocytes and its function. The experiments

weeks working on the Light Microscope and the Stereoscopic

undertaken took place in vitro in cell cultures and in vivo in

Magnifying Glass (Stereo Lupe) photographing everything

a transgenic mouse specially bred for this purpose. It was

that passed through my hands: epithelial tissue and other

the cardiomyocytes which gave me access to the highly

pieces of tissue, drosophilae, but also my own fingers and

sensitive area of the animal holding pens in the basement,

miniscule wounds that I had inflicted upon myself. With

where, among other things, transgenic animals are being

various materials and dissecting instruments, I attempted to

manufactured. I was able to accompany and observe an

manufacture mini-sculptures under the microscope. I kept my

animal keeper at work – witnessing the way in which blasto-

mind open to any possible results, avoided making any value

cysts were removed from the fallopian tubes in female mice

judgements, and attempted to counter any target-oriented

in order to genetically alter them in the lab and reinsert them

selection of the objects of my observations.

into carrier mice for birth delivery. Is a heart cell, which in vitro begins to contract again, an expression of life? Why

"Art is dealing with one‘s own self-generated uncertainty"

do the cardiomyocytes attach to one another after a couple

(Niklas Luhmann). Guided by this sentiment I worked myself

of days and begin to synchronously contract? What is

through the second and third months. I exploited the

information? What is energy? Where does life begin?

microscopy lab as a service department providing various scientists and research groups with images. In this way, I

Drosophilae

became familiar with the following three projects:

What would gene research be like if the drosophilae were as large as dogs, peering out at us with their gigantic, sympathy-

Skin Burn

inducing red eyes? Although images of ectopical eyes had

A skin burn experiment, derived from an old scientific

already been effectively spread by the media and some of

publication dating back 30 years, was carried out with the

the experiments took place almost ten years ago, witnessing

aim of illustrating the fact that in cases of very serious skin

images of drosophilae legs with eyes on their knees, was a

burns, patients die not as a result of a septic but a toxic

very unsettling experience. It was not really calm to know

shock. This is due to a protein complex that polymerizes

that these experiments dealt mainly with understanding

in the skin during the burn, developing a toxic activity. In

the developmental processes at the genetic level. There

relation to experiments is reproduction the highest maxim?

was a clear ethical conflict within me between reason and

How does hierarchy function in science? What structures

emotion.

and specific obligations exist within the system of science? How do publication indexes, quotation indexes and time

What role does the media play in the discussion of ethics?

pressures influence research? What kind of knowledge

Are legislation bodies and ethic commissions only one step

emerges from an institution producing knowledge? What

behind reality? Can a line be drawn between the natural

83

Isabel Rohner during the DVD interview at the ZMB.

Drosophilae: Ectopical eyes

and artificial? Where would that be, then? How natural

to understand them, I instead focused on the architectural

is a hormone-fed and vaccinated cow? Will human gene

body with its entire inner life system. Dimensions merge, big

technology extend our life-span and turn us into time-

becomes small, and vice-versa. The whole ZMB complex is

machines? What kind of influence do mental models which

one organism, the individual research labs are the organs, the

are derived from a cyclical and linear time process have on

researchers are the transmitters and chemical messengers,

science? What effects do irreversible processes initiated by

and the exterior of the building is the skin or the epidermis,

scientists have on our future? Do I really believe in this kind

the borderline tissue between the outer and inner world.

of science?

Each one of the six stories of the building contain seven fields,

Millions of Drosophilae

or balconies. In each balcony I wanted to make a performance At this time, I began carrying out my first set of interviews

including a total of 42 artists. I thought this work would

with various scientists. I noticed that the length of time that

question the notion of authorship within this ZMB working

they were questioned, the amount of years they have spent

environment. In order to illustrate how scientists work in

in the 'science system' and the higher their position they

a group, I invited the Basel performance group 'Labor' to

had in the system’s hierarchy, the more careful and guarded

collaborate with me in this performance. The scenario for the

their answers became. Also, they were very aware that

'façade performance' would end as follows:

fragments of our discussion, when taken out of the original

42 artists stand inside the 42 framed balconies of the façade.

context, could be manipulated and altered in their meaning.

Each artist pulls out a white mouse from her or his costume,

This aspect influenced the answers in a similar way to the

holding it by its tail at arms length over the railing. In response

misleading experience of a journalistic interview. Influences

to a secret signal, which the audience is not privy to, all the

by the thoughts of Heinz von Foerster, my CD entitled

performers let their mice fall.

'schnitte', which I had compiled out of interview fragments, was a successful reflection about the different aspects

Reflective moments

of the hard and the soft sciences. While the Life Sciences

After a three month summer break from the ZMB, I continued

tend to use methods of reduction, fragmenting objects of

to develop this 'façade performance' calling it, 'Epidermis and

observation into miniscule parts until one single gene or

Innards'. I was also invited to submit the project to the Basel

protein is left, the humanities and social sciences tend to

Art Awards in the Kunstmuseum Basel Land. I still continued

have a holistic approach, understanding that individual parts

to carry out my series of interviews, as well as focus intensely

play interdependent roles.

on the topic of skin. I collected skin stories and made images of skin compounds on the scanning electron microscope

Parallel to this work, the idea for 'the façade performance'

(SEM). Samples in the form of the soles of my feet, the

slowly began to crystallize. Because scientists observe the

scalp on head, the skin covering the body were extracted

tiniest complex systems through the microscope in order

from cadavers and prepared as probes. I explored skin as a

84

Rohner’s own skin as a cellular 'self portrait'

Cardiograph of 'Cardiomyocytes' or beating heart cells in-vitro

projection surface, skin as a shell, skin as a border, which

work. The artists must understand how to approach science,

the naked eye cannot see beyond. I decided to make a self-

but also the scientists must understand how to approach art,

portrait in order to intensify the subjectivity and also as a

and this base would assume that there are two equal partners

comment on the objective intentions of scientific research.

involved in collaboration. Secondly, the project, the line of

I had a piece of my skin extracted by a dermatologist at

discourse or goal would need to be formulated in a combined

the Cantonal Hospital in Basel, which enabled me to re-

effort and also be wished for by both sides. However, during

experience the complete preparation process of a probe

the five months at the ZMB Bio- and Pharmaceutical Centre,

of my own skin. This involved a fixation in glutaraldehyde,

I was able to construct the basis for future collaborations,

an exchange of water through an increasing concentration

which could lead to a fusion of art and science into a third

of alcohol through CO², a critical phase of drying and the

entity, and this is something new!

fixing the specimen on the microscope slide and sputter. In this context, I also noticed from various reactions around me

Credits

that these types of excavations, which I made as an artist

Markus Dürrenberger, Melanie Börries, Ursula Sauder, Vesna

and not as a scientist, were looked at very differently by the

Olivieri, Daniel Mathys, Marcel Düggelin, Roland Geiser,

scientists. Instead science always seems to expect a special

Michel Mallaun, Manuel Holler, The Basel Performance

stamp, which gives the process legitimacy.

Group 'Labor'.

Conclusion After I spent my first month familiarizing myself with the surroundings, my second month was spent in deeper immersion and enthusiasm and the third month involved questions of doubt, as well as a bit of a crisis. In the last two months following a three month summer break the emotional ups and downs gave way to a certain soberness and concentration on my art work. Although an intensive exchange between art and science took place during the artists-in-labs project, the deep level of collaboration similar to the vague notion I had held for years did not take place. My experience has shown that two conditions need to be met in order for real collaborations to take place. First of all, a period of familiarization and, when possible, deep understanding of the subject matter must precede the actual

85

Shirley Soh

SINGAPORE

ARTIST IN THE CENTRE FOR BIOSAFETY & SUSTAINABILITY, BATS, BASEL

Disciplines: Ceramics, Installation Art featuring Vegetation Project Proposal: Food for Thought. To understand the ecological impact of GM (genetically modified) agriculture in developing countries with the attendant issues of sustainability, biodiversity and market needs/ distribution. To look at one food grain, rice, as the focus of the study.

(Photo: 'Transgenic eggs': Soh’s metaphor for fragility from 'The Writing is on the Soil', installation at the Centre for Microscopy,ZMB in Basel)

86

SUSPENDING DISBELIEF

Shirley Soh

My research proposal was to look at the applications of

month, I met several other scientists involved in different

genetic engineering in agricultural production, particularly

aspects of research and I name them here to show the diverse

with regards to the issue of sustainability. Much literature

range of perspectives opened to me:

already existed, criticising claims for the efficacy of GMOs

Dr. Andres Bindes, who worked previously at Novartis and

(Genetically Modified Organisms) to solve long-term

teaches at the University of Basel.

problems of hunger, poverty and diseases in developing

Dr. Barbara Hornes, a research scientist on epigenetics

countries. These arguments appear persuasive to the

at the Friedrich Miescher Institute, a Novartis Research

layperson, such as myself, given the mounting evidence of

Foundation.

an increasingly degraded environment and the growing rich-

Dr. Christoff Sautter, Plant Institute, ETHZ and also the man

and-poor divide.

behind the controversial GM wheat field tests in Zurich.

While I concurred generally with this position, a nagging

Dr. Angelika Hilbeck, Institite for Geobotanics, ETHZ risk

question existed in my mind: where does science, as a domain

assessor and artists-in-labs partner on a documentary project

of knowledge with its on-going discoveries, position itself in

on GMO guidelines.

the rhetoric for, or against GMOs. I saw the residency at BATS

Dr. Johannes Fuetterer, Plant Institute, ETHZ, who had

as an opportunity to understand the hard science behind the

worked with Professor Ingo Potrykus, the man behind Golden

arguments, while putting aside thoughts of economic-social-

Rice.

political agendas regarding GMOs.

Clearly and unsurprisingly, the scientists represented positions of the institute in which they worked. For me, the

First month

meetings were very useful to understand different viewpoints

When I first stepped into the office of BATS, I was disap-

on the subject of genetic manipulation, all held passionately.

pointed to find, not a scientific laboratory but a research

What struck me most was that the scientists from the

office. At the time of my attachment, there was also no

different perspectives all had the same concern - to identify,

specific project undertaken by BATS on GM agriculture.

predict and eventually find solutions to problems. As an

However, I knew a starting point would be to understand the

artist, I knew my work was not about documenting arguments

scientific literature available, for example, how biosafety and

on the GM divide. In fact, although I was beginning to

sustainability was defined and assessed.

understand a lot more science than when I first began, I found defining my subject matter - sustainability - becoming

Reading and absorbing information every day and for days on

more elusive, especially if I thought there was an objective

end can be a tedious process. I found myself inundated with

scientific answer. Eventually, the ethical considerations

information during the early weeks. Fortunately, a residency,

loomed large and based on this criterion, no one party could

rather than just a visit, could afford informal discussions

have the final definitive answer.

and social occasions on a regular basis for interaction. This allowed discussions to flow freely from clarifying points of

Making art

facts to the wider philosophical questions in science and the

The brief for the artists-in-labs residency was to work

cultural imperatives shaping the scientific outlook. I felt my

towards a prototype. So far, I have had no opportunity to

understanding of the subject was deepening and many of my

engage directly with the methods of science. By mid-July,

early views challenged.

I felt I had enough material mentally and that I needed to digest the information, which at times seemed conflicting.

The director of BATS, Othmar Käpelli, was also consciously not

I made journal entries for ideas as I was grappling with the

prescribing a particular viewpoint and set up appointments

science. But I knew that my next stage of 'research' required

for me to visit other Swiss laboratories. During the first

a different process. I needed to think and work differently.

87

Animals constructed from soil and bacteria by Shirley Soh

Viewers in Soh’s installation crushing the 'transgenic eggs'

I am a trained ceramicist working with 3D objects and

Finally a laboratory!

installations. Not being able to play scientist in the lab, I

While I was into my third month, Dr Jill Scott sensed that my

worked the way I was comfortable with. I chose to work with

research expectations of a lab experience were not fully met

soil, a material that connected symbolically with the subject

at BATS. She arranged subsequently for me to work at ZMB

of agriculture and life itself. I made many objects with garden

who was already hosting two other artists-in-labs. I became

soil and grew grass in them.

their third. The attachment to ZMB was an eye-opener to another world – a research opportunity to study soil

Concentrating on the craft of making was an important

bacteria and the offer of new visual materials and methods

process for me. It slowed me down, it allowed me to think in

of visualization. There were several false starts capturing

all sorts of directions. What was the big picture in the end?

these images. I wanted desperately to see bacteria under the

My subject was sustainability and the role of science. I tried

microscope (my very first time!) but I did not know, that I

to follow my thoughts by writing them down every day and

did not know how to go about it. The great advantage of a

sticking them to the walls. My 'sticker' thoughts grew. My

large scientific research and laboratory centre such as the

BATS colleagues would walk in sometimes and read these

Biocentre, is that eventually one would find someone in there

statements. I felt embarrassed at times, as these were written

who would know something about what one was researching.

more for my own thinking process than as pronouncements

A chance conversation with a postgraduate student revealed

for public airing. But they words were never trivialised by my

a department dealing with soil microbiology and a very

colleagues. In fact they became conversation-openers and

helpful technician, Marc Folcher, who told me where I had

gave me the idea of using text in my work.

gone wrong for the many weeks with my soil samples. Bacteria had to be cultured for lab work! I discovered that

I decided to create an installation using the soil sculptures

with present technology, lab conditions were still not known

sitting on a floor of eggshells, which became another

for cultivating more than 99% of these microbial creatures.

important symbol unifying the various elements. Walking on

I decided to make a video with whatever soil bacteria could

eggs is an idiom we have often heard, meaning to walk a fine

be cultured and captured under the light microscope. This

line, with little room to manoeuvre, to walk slowly, cautiously.

became part of the installation, with the soil farm animals

My eggshells grew metaphorically: It signified that science

located amidst a sea of egg shells watching a soundless video

had to proceed cautiously. It also conveyed the possibility of

of bacteria with accompanying text.

science being 'straitjacketed' as if it were too cautious for fear of unknown consequences. It was a metaphor for fragility.

Conclusion The residency, without a doubt, provided a rare research opportunity for an artist. I had four months. Was there sufficient time? Given an open-ended research proposal, on

88

Humility, the main message of Soh’s exhibition

Soh at the artists-in-labs conference 'FUSION 05'KKL, Lucerne

the subject of sustainability in agriculture, the time seemed

and to pose reflective, imaginative possibilities. Despite my

sufficient to deal with the subject only on a philosophical

early disappointment at not having a lab to work in the whole

level. If I had wanted to be more 'scientific' in my approach,

time, great lessons have been learnt from the residency,

more time would be needed to open up possibilities to

an experience that will significantly influence my approach

interpret the work in different ways. For example, learning

to research and thinking about things in the world. Most

how to produce transgenic crops or to identify and study

notably, I have to single out the relationship factor as the

bacterial species in the soil. A science researcher takes three

most important experience. Othmar Käppeli, Robert Schön

years or more as a doctorate in order to study one small

and Dominik Tröster from BATS and Marcus Dürrenberger

aspect in a wide field. For an artist to get to grips with doing

at ZMB, have shared their knowledge and wisdom most

good science, collaboration with a scientist, in my opinion,

generously. I found conversations with these science-trained

would seem absolutely necessary. How would my thinking

minds challenging and refreshing, as they offered different

process have developed if I had worked directly in a lab

perspectives from their different disciplines. Most certainly,

the whole time? This is hard to predict. Would I have been

now my views of how the science world operates and how

fascinated with the technology of making things happen

scientists think have opened up. And I am astounded to find,

and get totally lost in the aesthetics of microscopic life? Or

not just from reading but from direct experience now, how

would I have been bored with the tedium of experimenting,

much confluence exists in the worlds of art and science.

testing, verifying and analysing data? These are questions, which I think pose a challenge for any artist. Using science to

My sincere thanks to

comment on science is a strategy already employed by other

Othmar Käppeli, Roberto Schön and Dominik Tröster, Marc

artists in their artwork. It is proving an interesting direction

Folcher, Marcus Dürrenberger, Andres Bindes, Barbara Hornes,

for making connections between art, science and technology. I

Christoff Sautter, Angelika Hilbeck, Johannes Fuetterer

am convinced that the early scientists were often artists and

This residency was supported by a grant from the National

vice-versa, but information today has become more complex

Arts Council of Singapore.

and very much compartmentalised, making it difficult for artists to be scientists and scientists to be artists in a truly interdisciplinary sense. For that matter, I am not sure how much an artist can really contribute to new discoveries in the Life Sciences or if that should be an important priority. As a member of the human community, the artist has to be aware about what is going on in the world at large, which includes that of science and its implications. But as an artist, the role at least must be to highlight ethical considerations

89

Nigel Helyer

AUSTRALIA/UK

ARTIST IN THE PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTE, PSI, VILLIGEN

Disciplines: Sound Sculpture, Environmental Art, Virtual/Augmented Audio Reality Research Project

title: I.D.E.A.S. (Interactive Digital Environmental Audio Systems). To develop an 'ensemble'

of autonomous solar powered digital audio sculptures that are capable of interacting with one another (via local FM networks). The installation should display some basic Artificial Intelligence characteristics like 'flocking' behaviour and the capacity to interact with human presence/proximity.

(Photo montage: 'Theorem', The public sound sculpture designed for this site on the grounds of the PSI, by Nigel Helyer)

90

COLD TURKEY WITH MUONS

Nigel Helyer

Twin imperatives

dish technology into my audio sculpture project I would

I arrived at PSI with two principal aims, to seek a viable

have found a very necessary 'home-base' with a modest sized

collaboration with a scientist or research group and to

and very friendly team of research scientists. However, my

'deliver' a prototype for a permanent public audio sculpture.

initial and simple misunderstanding stranded me in a rather

The second objective was developed upon the understanding

isolated position with the task of somehow finding useful

that my previous work in environmental solar-powered audio-

contact and potential collaborators in the labyrinth of PSI,

sculpture was the basis for selection in the programme at

and so to the phone book, the institute’s organisational

PSI. I therefore assumed a mandate to follow this direction,

chart and the email - this was certainly doing it the hard

whilst remaining open to chance encounters with interesting

way! By the end of five weeks, it was obvious to me that

individuals or R&D influences. I planned to undertake my

the sheer industrial scale and complex structure of PSI (with

residency in two parts, a five-week information gathering

its 1,200 permanent staff and an additional 1,200 visiting

period followed by a four-month development period.

researchers) demanded a much more highly structured and closely negotiated approach to facilitate an artist/scientist

First five weeks

interface. I felt the need to suggest to the artists-in-labs

The relative physical isolation of PSI coupled with its com-

research team that a qualitatively different methodology and

plex organisational structure caught me somewhat off-

aim for this type of lab should be made. At the conclusion

guard. My initial attempts to navigate the industrial scale

of my first working visit I departed PSI with the growing

and rigidly organised PSI hierarchy were frequently

realisation that I had only just begun to scratch the surface

inconclusive as if I were skating across the surface, rather

of the lab environment. Whilst I had encountered many

than getting to the heart of the matter. Beat Gerber (my

interesting situations and scientists I could not easily identify

principal contact at PSI) proved to be an intelligent and

a viable collaboration, or a method for generating one. This

highly sympathetic liaison; however, in the long term, it

was in part due to a lack of synergy between my interests and

became apparent that even he lacked a complete knowledge

R&D at the lab, compounded by an awareness of pressures and

of the intricacies of the PSI production systems and was

time constraints under which most of the scientists worked.

frequently regarded as a 'non-scientist', without specialist 'insider' knowledge by PSI scientific research staff! My

Time away

original proposal that placed emphasis upon the PSI solar

In the period between my two lab sessions I resolved that it

research area, was based upon information I had gleaned

would be better to achieve at least one of my two original

from the institute website. Unfortunately my specific

goals. I reasoned that given the numerical odds a true

interests in photo-voltaics and high-tech battery research

collaboration could take months or years to establish (failing

proved to be non-starters as R&D activity at the PSI photo-

a serendipitous encounter) then I should focus on developing

voltaics lab had been more or less abandoned for 'sexier'

a prototype audio sculpture for the lab environment. There-

research work in the solar furnace area, aimed at producing

fore, I resolved to change my approach when I returned to

hydrogen for fuel cell reactors. The battery division (like

PSI and present myself to scientists as an artist seeking

many R&D areas at PSI) proved essentially to be a testing

cooperation (rather than collaboration) to realise a project

facility for industrial products, in this case testing electrode

that resembled the process of a public art commission (albeit

configurations, and did not develop any in-house technology,

one without a stated budget).

likewise the only function of the solar photo-voltaic facility was to test commercial panels (ironically I was told the best

Month three

panels come from UNSW in Sydney!). With hindsight I realize

When I returned, I circulated a project description at PSI in

that had I somehow been able to incorporate the huge solar

order to explain my interests: How might an artist approach

91

Muon or Cosmic Radiation particle detector, © Engineering Department PSI

The flashing Muon activity indicators on the top of the 'Theorem' sculptures

the Paul Scherrer Institute, which by any standard, is a

to discussion and conceptual designs but as the project

complex intellectual and social organism? My strategy,

progressed they assumed a more direct and pivotal role.

simplistic though it may seem, has been to imagine PSI as eco-system, or more specifically, from my sound sculptor’s

Month four and five

perspective, as an acoustic-ecology. My principal task being

The relationship of the electronics lab to the artists-in-labs

how to get under the skin of the life of PSI and create a work

project at PSI is a good barometer to analyse the organisat-

that will encapsulate aspects of PSI in the form of an abstract

ional and structural issues, two of which are pertinent. From

'audio-portrait', whilst simultaneously employing some of

the the start the Electronics Lab was already committed to

the Lab’s technology and expertise. The announcement went

130% of its capacity and furthermore PSI required a twelve

on to explain that 'Theorem' was a new project consisting of

month planning notification and a budget, both for finance

an 'ensemble' of interactive, environmental sculptures and

and for person-hours. I was 'on-notice' from the start, this was

I invited scientists to share their thoughts on elegance and

difficult but they would do their best to help me out! The

beauty within the scientific paradigm. I did get responses and

second issue concerns a technical and conceptual orientation

two key relationships formed the basis of the development

to the technology itself. My interests are to design and build

of the 'Theorem' prototype. One was a series of meetings

arrays of relatively simple devices, with robust and minimal

with Dierk Herlach, head of the Muon Laboratory, whose

technological components that when taken in aggregate,

relaxed and engaging manner combined with an interest in

develop apparently complex and almost un-repeatable

music and art. He proved to be one of the most open scientists

sonic behaviours. I frequently employ the metaphor of the

I worked with, and started to label my project as the 'The

cockroach that has evolved its distributed nerve ganglia with

Coffee Break Project'. His research area, Muon particles

low central processing 'overheads'. In other words, the results

(particles charged by rotation) also sparked my imagination as

should be simple, robust and autonomous. Consequently, my

these particles form an essential part of the cosmic radiation

solar powered environmental audio works are able to deliver

spectrum and fall constantly on the surface of the earth. As

an extremely rich, complex and immersive soundscapes with

my interest was to model the audio sculpture’s behaviour on

relatively simple means. The lab’s engineers regarded this

an organic process, I realised that the semi-random showers

simplicity as 'toy like'. Following a very pragmatic line of

of Muon Particles could be harnessed as a natural stochastic

argument that related to both the constraints of time and

'driver' for the interactive works. The second key relationship

their field of expertise, I accepted a change of plan for the pro-

evolved with the PSI electronics workshop headed by Nick

posed work. Therefore, I opted for serial autonomous units

Schlumpf with a major contribution from Reinhard Schmidt.

linked to a networked array, driven from a central computer

Nick and Reinhard are responsible for designing and

programme. I could accept the engineer’s characterisation of

building particle detector arrays at PSI and were therefore

my original scheme as 'toy like' at a certain (technological)

of great importance to my project. Initially, this was limited

level; however, it did illustrate a level of rigidity in their

92

Nigel Helyer working in Beat Schläpfer’s metal shop 'afaire'

The final functioning 'Theorem' prototype in front of the KKL, Lucerne 2005.

thinking. I think this rigidity results from a combination of

this process threw out the need for fully specified CAD

narrow discipline focus and high technical virtuosity, which

engineering drawings and encouraged an organic trial and

arrogantly seems to assume that any lateral deviation form

error approach to the design that simply would not have

these two approaches to be unworthy of consideration. Over

been possible at PSI. This 'brainstorming' style of design

the period of technological development of 'Therom', it was

development is ideally suited to sculptural development and

interesting to see that some accommodation of viewpoints

is a useful basis upon which to proceed to the final design,

did develop, I still think that the stereotypes (held on both

providing ample material for engineers to draw up detailed

sides) would take a considerable period to erode and modify.

design specifications later. This way of working was a surprise

Even so the electronics lab actually 'adopted' my project and

to the PSI engineers, but the final display units were in effect

in the final analysis rose to the occasion, going well beyond

'real' prototypes with provisional solutions requiring several

their original role of advice and assistance.

iterations in development. It was important to be able to

The Electronic labs began taking many design activities in

develop a working prototype because the 'Theorem' project

hand and becoming physically involved in the mounting of

is now ripe to be developed into its proposed final form.

the final prototype, even though this caused some friction.

The final form is an ensemble of environmentally situated

Their frustrations were evident and they pointed to the lack

interactive sound sculptures and I hope that PSI can attract

of a responsible project manager and the need for long term

adequate funding for the realization of the final work.

planning. Alongside this design development, I began to collect content, recording scientists talking about their views

Conclusion

and concepts of elegance and beauty within the scientific

From both a philosophical and creative level, and within

paradigm. Although the response was modest, I developed

the broader social domain, this residency was not so easy,

the content and met some interesting scientists. I regarded

even though the results exhibited at the Museum of Art in

these recordings as a samplers which could engage a much

Lucerne were really substantial. Luckily, the artists-in-labs

wider and more structured approach to the sound libraries

research team had created a broad camaraderie with both my

of the final work. The complex planning structure of PSI

fellow artists and with a range of scientists from other labs

precluded fabricating the steel shells of the prototypes 'in-

associated with the programme, and this aspect balanced out

situ', therefore the artists-in-labs group helped me to es-

the relative isolation I felt at PSI.

tablish contact with a small metal workshop (A-faire) based in Zurich, that had also been involved in the construction of

Credits

exhibits for the PSI Forum. Beat Schläpfer, of 'A-faire' was

Beat

open to working collaboratively with me on design details

Sven Schmidt, Beat Schläpfer, Daniel Bisig

Gerber,

Reinhard

Schmidt,

Nick

Schlumpf,

and was happy for me to become physically engaged in the fabrication of the prototypes. As time was running short,

93

Dominik Bastianello

SWITZERLAND

ARTIST IN THE PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTE, PSI, VILLIGEN

Disciplines: Architecture, Experiments with Space and Physics, Video Art Project title: Il mondo secondo. In collaboration with physicists the similarities between image patterns on video clips, resulting from rotating, swinging or otherwise moving cameras and those known from relativity theory and quantum physics will be studied. By shifting the point of view and experiencing space in an unfamiliar way, the goal will be to set up preconditions for new spacial concepts and to obtain a broader view for the interpretation of observations.

(Photo: 'Where in the World am I', 2005. Permanent public video installation by Dominik Bastianello in the entrance foyer at the PSI, Villigen)

94

SPACE AND THE OBSERVER IN ART AND PHYSICS

Dominik Bastianello

O rientation

from which his new beam line has been derived, as well as the

I began my stay at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) on May

correspondingly applied usage of coherent light. He was very

5, 2004. Beat Gerber, the communications officer at PSI and

enthusiastic about my goal to test the spatial development

initiator of PSI’s participation in the artists-in-labs project,

in a double slot experiment in which coherent light is also

gave me a tour of the larger facilities: the SLS, Experimental

necessary. I listened intently as he talked about what had

Hall and SINQ. I was left with a lasting impression of its

now become a great topic of interest to me: reciprocal space.

rotunda-shaped SLS building, the towering sculptural

He was able to explain the transformation from real space

concrete blocks (shielding blocks) in the Experimental Hall,

(in front of the double slot) into reciprocal space (behind

the extreme span width of the crane equipment, as well as

the double slot) in basic terms I could understand. He then

the sprawl of all the technical equipment.

referred me to his colleague, Timm Weitkamp, who has specialized knowledge in double slot experiments.

It immediately became apparent to me that the work at PSI

Once I managed to reach Timm Weitkamp, he was immediate-

focuses primarily on projection methods, which I found to

ly open to getting together and grasped right off what I

be potentially relevant to my work in space transformation.

was after. He could convey to me a basic knowledge of co-

Considering the innumerable methods, though, it was

herence and interference of light, and explained in detail the

difficult to say in what respect, or if at all. I could see that

various zones (near field, Fresnel area, far field) in reciprocal

the primary task set before me was to sift through the 1,200

space. He even offered to use his self-designed computation

scientists working on this campus to find suitable contact

program to supply me with any kind of imaginable data I

people. They also needed to be able to take time out of

might be looking for, and all this without ever having to carry

their busy working schedules, and also preferably work in

out an actual experiment.

the fields of quantum physics, astronomy and possibly string theory. In addition, I was looking for representation from

I also met with Michael Spira, a theoretical physicist whose

both experimental and theoretical physics.

computations provide a substantial contribution to the LHC at CERN. For a theoretical physicist, space seems to have

Contacting people

little to do with perception and much more to do with the

Roland Horisberger, the person responsible for the

possibility of making mathematical predications. Being a

development of pixel detectors for the new Large Hadron

non-mathematician, it was difficult to follow everything,

Collider (LHC) at CERN in Geneva, had been personally

but Michael Spira attempted to clarify the method of

recommended to me by Ralph Eichler, the director of PSI.

conservation laws and gauge theories, and pointed out

When I arrived at his office, he turned straight to the black

that in mathematics, as it is currently understood, only two

board and proceeded to give me an hour’s lesson on the his-

variables can be calculated to an exact degree, leaving the

tory of physics, from Newton up to present day. He talked

remaining variables to be viewed as 'disturbances'.

about the Higgs, the key particle in the Standard Model,

In late June, following these initial discussions, I gave a

presently the only one not to have been experimentally

presentation of my previous work. Since I focus primarily

proven. It was one of the most interesting hours I’ve ever

on the experience of space, I decided to place Raummoebel

spent, and the only one in which I could wrest Roland

X from 2002, in the Experimenting Hall in order to give

Horisberger from his work.

scientists a concrete opportunity to interact with my work.

Things really took off with Franz Pfeiffer, a specialist in the

The word spread quickly among the technicians, from whom

area of optics, and surprisingly young for being the person

I received a positive, engaged feedback. To my surprise,

responsible for the development of a new SLS beam line. He

though, I heard little from the scientists.

explained the Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) method

95

Graphic animation of the 'Double Slot' effect, inspired by Timm Weitkamp

'The Double Slot' effect as a walk through architectural model, 'Converter'

Concepts

Feedback

I met with Timm Weitkamp for a second time at the start of

In the weeks to follow, I met with some of the scientists

July, bringing along clear ideas about the materials I needed

already involved to continue talking about developed

for the first study models. He fed his program with the

concepts, as well as have general scientific discussions.

relevant data and within a few hours, handed over a wealth

It became clear that some of the scientists had quite a lot

of data and image materials. In order to get familiar with

of difficulty with my practice of applying physics terms to

the simulated double slot experiments, I began with simple

aesthetic-visual phenomena, which obviously did not match

conversions of the intensity and threshold curves using

their specifically defined and mathematically formulated

styrofoam. I analyzed the inherent formal-aesthetic qualities

associations in physics.

of the resulting figures which led to a styrofoam study

Using my models, I talked with Michael Spira about the

for Converter, a walk-in sculpture to be made of shielding

possibility of looking at the distribution of light intensity

stones.

in a double slot experiment as a 'deformation of space', similar to the general relativity theory. Spira rejected this

Parallel to this, I was sketching studies for various media

interpretation, referring to the mathematician Hermann

work. I combined images – generated by Timm Weitkamp of

Weyl, who at the start of quantum physics had postulated

propagated waves moving through a double pinhole – into an

a correlation between photons and space which came

animation, and set the sounds of a heart beat and breathing

to be known as 'Eichung von Skalen', only to turn around

to it. During a shut-down at the PSI for revision purposes,

a short time later and abandon it because it didn’t stand

I made video takes in the tunnel of the SLS to be used in a

up mathematically as well as on the basis of experimental

future clip called 'hidden parameters'.

results. Michael Spira did not know much more about Weyl’s

Around that time, a concept began developing which would

'Eichung von Skalen' other than from hearsay and couldn’t

later evolve into the installation: 'Where in the world am I ?'

offer any more detailed information. I wasn’t able to locate

In it, an object and a camera are placed on a double turn-

any literature on it myself, although in other writings from

table. While the object on the inner plate rotates at a constant

and regarding Hermann Weyl, I did find indications that he

speed, the camera on the outer ring can be made to move at

had also engaged philosophically in viewing space, and I

varying degrees, ranging from a static state to spinning at

could also see (within the limits of my knowledge) definite

the same speed as the object. The resulting video projection

similarities to my concept of space in his formulations.

depicts the mysterious interdependent and complimentary relationship between the object and its background, thereby

In the meantime, the artists-in-labs scientific coordinator,

making reference to the dynamic and observer-dependent

René Stettler, had handed me an article regarding the

spatial structure found in quantum mechanics and the

varying interpretations of quantum physics, most notably the

relativity theory.

de Broglie-Bohm interpretation (BBI), in which I found the

96

Video still: from the rotating camera on the outer ring. 'Where in the World am I'

Interactive Interface terminal from 'Where in the world am I'

term 'guiding field' to be tied to the double-slot model and

demands. It was difficult to find a location where art could be

the above mentioned 'deformation of space'. I was surprised,

seen without blending into the operational clutter or just get

though, that no scientist with whom I came in contact seemed

in the way. Concern was also voiced that exhibiting art in a

to know the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation.

scientific arena could be potentially damaging to the serious and credible image the public carries of physics. Following an

It gradually became clear to me that in the development of

intense selection process involving numerous presentations

the room sculptures as well as the video work entitled 'Hid-

to the various bodies of the institute, it was finally decided in

den Parameters', I was dealing with questions reflecting the

an executive meeting following the conclusion of the artists-

old demarcation line between the Copenhagen Interpretation

in-labs program in January 2005, that the installation, 'Where

of Quantum Mechanics and the representation of a deter-

in the world am I?', would be realized and executed in the

ministic view of de Broglie-Bohm or Einstein, without being

entry hall of the PSI administrative building. The result was

aware of this at the time the concepts were developed. Heinz

an extremely rewarding experience for everyone involved.

Weyer, one of the coordinators at the SSL, had evidently remarked on this very early on in a discussion about my

My sincere thanks to

models and made mention of the (according to current

Walter Fischer, Manuel Güdel, Beat Gerber, Roland

opinion, already long confirmed) question of deterministic

Horisberger, Franz Pfeiffer, Harun Solak, Michael Spira, Marco

concepts and hidden parameters.

Stampanoni, Andreas Suter, Timm Weitkamp, Heinz Weyer, Axel Zehndner, dem PSI Villigen, der MTS Maschinenbau

Realization

AG Biten, Act Visual, Remo Schneider, dem Maler Geschäft

From the start of the program, it was my professed goal to

Würenlingen

actualize at least one concept before the end of my stay at PSI: I was, and still am, convinced that the process of engagement as well as the dialogue between artists and scientists really begin to take form through physical interaction with the built work. For this reason, I began working on the documentation and presentation of concepts early on in the hopes of receiving an O.K. for a realization from the PSI within a suitable amount of time. This actually triggered an unforeseen series of discussions which led to further debate regarding the position, value and role art can and should even play at a research institute. The whole campus is run pragmatically in accordance with scientific and operational

97

Andrew Quinn

AUSTRALIA/ITALY

ARTIST IN THE PLANETARIUM, SWISS MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT, LUCERNE

Disciplines: 3D Computer Animation, Compositing, Surround Sound Project title: Solar Wind. This proposal was changed into a collaboration with Clea Waite entitled, 'Moon Walk'. Her idea was to take a walk on the moon, across the dome of the Planetarium, through time and space combining data from the Consolidated Lunar Atlas with experimental and archival film and sound material, myths, poems, and nonfictional texts, including surround sound with a projection system capable of producing high definition digital graphics. After the collaboration failed, Andrew Quinn’s project was changed into 'Moon Light'.

(Film still from the 3D animation for the Planetarium dome entitled 'Moon Light' by Andrew Quinn)

98

MOON LIGHT: IMMERSIVE ANIMATION - A JOURNEY

Andrew Quinn

My work for the artists-in-labs program turned out to be a

manufacturers) in June 2004, but we both needed to spend

three minute computer animated film for the Planetarium

the first week learning these process in relation to the Lucerne

entitled 'Moon Light'. The residency was originally proposed

environment. This involved how to activate the projector

as a collaboration with another artist from Clea Waite from

system, the render network and the storage system. Werner

Berlin, to work together on her proposal entitled 'Moon

Pfäffli was constantly available to share his vast experience

Walk'. The idea of the artists-in-labs jury and the Planetarium

in astronomical visualization, to advise on problems of scale,

staff, was that different skills were required to realize her

position and scientific integrity. He provided invaluable

concept. Clea’s skills are in editing and image processing and

advice on the positioning of camera and how to achieve a

mine in 3D computer animation and 3D sound processing. We

convincing sense of scale in the dome format. Although we

had both worked in formats that used more than one screen.

were artists making interpretative works about the moon, he

In 2003, I had produced a series of works at the Tamatete

wanted us to render accurate and relative position of stars

Gallery in Rome for a nine screen surround environment, using

to planets. With this knowledge, I was able to produce quite

moving sound and computer generated imagery. Approaches

convincing parallax with camera movement. I thought a lot

to the process of inquiry between artists is difficult even

about the lunar landscape, and how it can appear realistic

when the artists are already long term collaborators. When

but somehow remain detached from the background. There

we met for the first time in April 2004, I was assessing the

were some new theories around that the Apollo landings had

feasibility of successful collaboration, and I imagine she was

been 'staged' (in other words shot in blue screen studio).

doing the same. We began to discuss visual treatment for a

An an animator I was very interested in these discrepancies

few of the themes she wished to portray in the film: lunar

between fact and fiction. So our notebooks were filling fast!

mythology and lunar landscapes. My hope was that we would

I expected to move on in the next weeks to brainstorming of

use the first few weeks of our residency in Lucerne to finalize

ideas and production of a coherent storyboard to which we

a storyboard and produce an 'animatic' or a rough animation

would work over the next 10 weeks.

of the entire film. In film production, these animatics usually show the final timing of each scene as a montage of stills and

Month two

simple parts of 3D animation. This method usually allows the

Clea’s process of working is quite different. She first collects

production team to break down the tasks involved and thus

material then edits, weaving found material (or material she

produce a reasonably accurate production timeline.

has shot) into a finished piece. The results can occur across many screens with the use of sophisticated digital editing

Month one

image processing techniques. I also use a compositing phase

We both started the residency at the beginning of August.

in my work where computer generated material is brought

The first step was to learn how to use the complex Full

together with filmed material and still images to produce the

Dome Video production process from our mentor, Werner

final result. However, computer generated material is not in

Pfäffli, the head of production. The content, whether filmed,

any way 'found material' since it needs to be constructed

computer generated 3D or 2D material, must end up in a

from nothing yet already conceived or designed (for example

circular fisheye or dome master format. Such an image could

as in set design or architectural design with floor plans, front

be shot with a fisheye lens, but in the case of a 3D computer

elevation, side elevation etc.). Then a storyboard needs to be

animation software package, it is derived from the rendering

constructed to define the sequence of animated events. We

of a virtual scene. The dome master is then cut into pieces,

realized immediately there was a huge difference between us

one for each projector in the Planetarium roof. I was already

and in our customary methods of working. After a month of

familiar with these elements of the production pipeline from

attempting to collaborate, we decided at the end of August

my work at Skyscan (one of the two planetarium system

to continue working on the same piece but independently.

99

A method of working out sequences in 'Animacs' before rendering them

The dome format requires special storyboarding for any stitched sequences

This was, however, an unsatisfactory compromise. I would

of 10th December was set for the presentation of our films

produce some 3D scenes and these would be edited with the

to the public. It was suggested that these should be finished

material that Clea produced. It was still undefined how these

productions that would be shown as part of the Plane-

elements would blend aesthetically and enhance the content.

tarium’s regular programming the following year.

I felt we seemed to be going ahead blindly to an undefined finished product, so I continued with other research about

Month three

the movements of the lunar magma seas. I was hoping to do

Clea wanted to continue her 'Moon Walk' concept, for which

a sequence that showed tidal movements in relation to lunar

I had contributed numerous tests both in my work at home

phases. For Clea, I made a study for an opening sequence

and in Lucerne and I needed to quickly determine a new

that Clea had found in a print advertisement for a light

direction and a new title. I decided to continue with the moon

manufacturer of a man in a boat at sunset with an orb of

theme and weave together all the work I had done in the

light reminiscent of the moon. I also developed some lunar

previous months. I intended to do a coherent 3 minute piece

landscapes in which it was intended to place edited video

that could be realistically produced, along with sound, over

footage and stills for a 'Moon Walk' sequence from her found

the next 6 weeks. In the meantime I worked on an animatic

footage.

that would present the intended content of my artwork. I

However, as other museum productions were being planned

had a number of unfinished scenes that needed to be given

beside ours, pressure was mounting from the Planetarium

a context, including some tests on the movement of lunar

staff to present a storyboard, which would determine the

magma. I had also developed more lunar landscapes, a tide/

scale of the production and the resources required for

moon/boat sequence and flying bats as metaphors for sound

completion. This was essential for them because Werner

and moon light activity. The bats were also an interesting 3D

Pfäffli was also working on a 30 minute astrophysics

animation experiment in the dome because I could explore

production to be completed the following year. Not only the

complex flocking behaviors. After talking to scientists, coral

rendering resources, but also the Planetarium itself needed

sperm also became a phenomenon to explore. All these

to be booked for the projection of tests before the first show

activities related to the moon; its movement and its light. As

of the morning or after the last afternoon show.

the 'ownership' of the moon-in-a-boat-on-water image was

At about the 6 week mark, the 'collaboration' was finally

contested, I replaced it with a lantern, thus leading me to

terminated by us and we called in the artists-in-labs team to

the conceptual title of 'Moon Light'. Such a title also allowed

negotiate a new direction. This meeting was quite a problem,

me to confront one of the major challenges of any surround

as the Planetarium was questioning if both residencies

format, how to design for the effects of reflected light.

should proceed at all! At the meeting it was determined that within a week we should both present a storyboard and production timeline for the remaining 6 weeks. A deadline

100

Film still: The simulated effect of moon light on bat flight by Andrew Quinn

Animations based on how the full moons’ light effects the release of coral sperm

Month four

Conclusion

The final film 'Moon Light' starts with a scene that explores

The artists-in-labs project provided me with an opportunity

the moon’s influence on the tides. In the animation the

that turned out to be positive in every respect. It was indeed

crescent moon. which is trapped inside a lantern, grows

a unique possibility to work in a hemispheric 'immersive'

towards the full moon. In a certain point it illuminates

video environment. Also 'Moon Light' was chosen to be in

the moon’s natural light and the viewer is surrounded by

the final Siggraph 2005 Film Show in the USA.

moonbeams of various forms. Light can have a very powerful

However, at the conclusion of the project, we all agreed

effect when it changes in the immersive environment of

that six months is a minimum for an artist in residence

the Planetarium. This voyage towards the full moon causes

position for a full dome video project. I would suggest four

the tides on the symbolic sphere of water to increase, and

months of production and two months to properly learn

the viewer is transported underwater to witness the flow of

the technology and storyboard development. I would have

sperm from the coral: an explosion of glowing particles. The

liked to experiment with moving sound in the dome format,

viewer follows these particles back up to the moon and the

but in the six-week production time that remained, was not

lunar seas, which are refracted by the water.

afforded that luxury. Our situation was definitely complicated

The piece was completed over the next six weeks, sound

because the collaboration between Clea and I failed. While

being produced in the last days as 12 computers were over-

we spent the first few weeks learning the important process

working to complete the final rendering. Each night Clea

of dome mastering, we spent another four weeks in a period

and I would confer on the allocation of machines for the

of confusion. This situation was further complicated by

rendering tasks of the night. Rendering in my case took

the Planetarium’s insistence that the collaboration should

between 1 and 10 minutes per frame: rendering five cameras

continue, although the artists-in-labs team was very open to

at 30 frames per second. This translates to between 2.5 and

any change of plan.

25 hours per second to render on on computer, depending

After completing the artists-in-labs residency in December

on the complexity of the scene. Timelines were updated to

2004, I was invited to collaborate on the next Lucerne

keep track of which scenes were completed and what was

Planetarium production in 2005. For me this was a very

outstanding. The entire production process proceeded

disciplined exercise in scientific visualization and a great

without any problems, thanks to our combined experience in

opportunity to work with more scientifically accurate

commercial and non-commercial production. So in this way

information.

we did all collaborate in the end.

Credits Werner Pfäffli, Jim Mant, Gregg Skerman, Clea Waite und the Swiss Museum of Transport. Lucerne.

101

Clea T. Waite

USA/GERMANY

ARTIST IN THE PLANETARIUM, SWISS MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT, LUCERNE

Disciplines: Editing, Compositing, Video Installation. Project title: 'Moon Walk'. This proposal is to take a walk on the moon, across the dome of the Planetarium, through time and space combining data from the Consolidated Lunar Atlas with experimental and archival film and sound material, myths, poems, and non-fictional texts. This will include 3D surround sound with a projection system capable of producing high definition digital graphics.

(Photo: Composited montage from archival NASA footage in the Planetarium Dome film entitled 'Moon Walk' by Clea T. Waite)

102

THE MOON WALK

Clea T. Waite

I went to Lucerne in 2004 to make a film about the moon. The

and distributed onto a render farm of computers. The five

moon represents many things, from the forefront of scientific

completed camera views of each scene were then stitched

exploration to the most ancient of archetypal myths. It

together into a circular image called the Dome Master. The

was the peaceful battleground of the cold war and will be

dome master was then sliced into eight, high-definition

a junction point to Mars in the near future. It inspires love

Mpeg2 streams for viewing on the Planetarium Dome. A

poems and lunacy, influences werewolves and the tides. It is

script must be programmed to control the sequencing and

a benevolent, beautiful goddess and a lifeless, silent lump of

synchronization of the streams, and then, finally, it is possible

rock. Recipient of prayers, myths, poems, and dreams since

to see what one has done, make changes, and start the entire

the beginning of human consciousness, so recently reached

process again. A simple sequence of a few seconds can take

by us for the first time, our moon is soon never to be the

over a week to produce.

same; it is already altered. Because there is no wind on the moon, the footprints of astronauts and tracks of vehicles

The most interesting aspect of making a hemispherical film

still remain after 30 years. There is detritus: launch modules,

is how to deal aesthetically with the space of this medium. A

flags, cameras, moon buggies, and probes. And there is our

normal film image is rectangular and flat. In general, an image

gaze, with all its inner projections. Heisenberg discovered

is defined by its framing, by the view that is chosen. The dome

that one can not observe a system without altering it.

has no frame, only a horizon and a 360° panoramic view. The

Schrödinger took this discovery and showed us that different

virtual vertical space is essentially infinite. Image orientation

realities can coexist and both be true. Einstein taught us that

changes and distorts depending on which side of the room

'fact' depends on one’s place of observation - one’s point of

the viewer occupies. This format presents a challenge to

view. There are as many views of the moon: poems, fantasies,

create a very different kind of imagery. Because 'Moon

myths, and scientific data, from all imaginable cultures and

Walk 'was created from found footage and photographs, all

times, as there are craters on its surface.

framed, rectangular sources, it was necessary to find visual solutions for bringing these images onto the hemispherical

The Process

screen. So Werner Pfäffli’s knowledge of working with the 3D

'Moon Walk' combined hard science with mythological

animation software to create the hemispherical sequences as

themes and pop culture, a recurring motif in my work. I usually

well his experience designing for this unconventional viewing

build a language interpretating scientific data-artefacts

space were of great profit to me in creating the film.

as literal metaphors in the creation of a form of concrete poetry. My work explores medial content juxtapositions with

The dome theater also presents an opportunity for creating

the relevant scientific theory acting as a formal structure.

the feeling of an expanded space through the use of 5.1

Working together at the Planetarium with Director Werner

surround-sound. The images in 'Moon Walk' were enhanced

Pfäffli, I learned that creating a hemispherical film for the

by Helga Pogatschar’s musical composition which further

Planetarium Dome involves many complex, labour-intensive

expands the virtual space. Pogatschar and I have worked

steps. I created 'Moon walk', by editing film clips and sounds

together previously on two spatial video installations, 'KUR',

out of normal films, which were then re-composed and

1997, and 'The Spider Project', 2000, http://www.spider-

re-composited onto large, high-resolution backgrounds,

project.de.

animated, and rendered. These 2D animated video/graphics textures were mapped onto 3D shapes such as cylinders,

The Exchange

planes, or spheres, placed into virtual space, and rendered

When I arrived in August, I had planned to gather scientific

from five camera views: front, back, left, right, and zenith.

materials on the moon from the museum’s archives and de-

The texture data sequences were copied for each view

velop the formal structure of the film based on the astronomy

103

Archival footage montage in the shape of a topographic map © C.Waite 2005

Close up from Waites’ montage: NASA The walk by Neil Armstrong

and astro-physics I would learn from the researchers there. I

asked to present my storyboards, but how could one make a

wanted to conduct visual/technical tests in the dome and to

storyboard of found-footage one hasn’t found yet? However,

get a feel for the medium. Although this is more or less how

I did eventually comply and present them with a storyboard.

it went the first month, I encountered several unexpected factors, which affected the residency.

Although the Artists-in-labs research team had arranged a edit suite for me to use, it was too far away from Lucerne

I had expected the lab to have a research group in which

to commute there, so I decided to share a space with

I would learn about lunar science, astronomy, and astro-

Werner Pfäffli so that I could work at the Planetarium. I also

physics, as well as digital techniques required for producing a

converted my guest house into an atelier. The differences

dome-format film. I also expect that within three months we

in working methods and expectations created a great deal

could develop and create a short prototype film based on my

of tension for the first two months of my residency. Now, in

original proposal: 'Moon Walk'. Firstly, I was disappointed to

retrospect, I believe that this was an aspect of my residency

learn that the Swiss Museum of Transport does not conduct

from which the museum’s researchers ultimately profited

any primary research as in most of the other labs. Also, the

because they were exposed to a very different process of

Planetarium staff and the other artist Andrew Quinn with

artistic film creation.

whom I had previously agreed to work, understood the residency primarily as a prepared production with emphasis

Role clarity was another factor complicating our interactions.

on the technical aspects and immediate realization.

Each member of our group came from a background atypical to their project role. My background is as a physicist and 3D

Secondly, my working methods differed greatly from those

computer graphics developer, and my technical expertise lay

of my collaborators, especially of Andrew Quinn. I work in

in digital video post-production. These did not fit into the

a circular process of extracting texts, images, and sounds

expectations of my role as 'artist' and content developer.

from research materials, experimenting with combinations

The proposed artistic collaboration with Andrew Quinn was

according to formal rules derived from the relevant scientific

the least clarified of all, even though we had met several

principles, animating, image processing, editing together

times before. Sometimes gender issues unfortunately and

fragments, and repeating this cycle until I find the film

surprisingly exacerbated the situation.

within the material. It is a methododology which plays intuitive process and formal structuring against each other.

Conclusion

Instead, my animator colleagues use a 'top-down' production

Was the intention of the artists-in-labs program to conduct

approach, creating storyboards and timing sheets, planning

a social and know-how transfer experiment between people

the entire film before realizing it. These were two valid but

working in different disciplines? Was it to enable practitioners

incompatible methods. Upon my arrival, I was immediately

of scientific research and artistic creation to exchange

104

'Moon Walk' excerpts from the storyboard, © C.Waite 2005

Screen shot of Final Cut HD: Work in Progress, © C.Waite 2005

knowledge towards the realization of concrete, collaborative

It was far too short for research and production, only three

projects? When I compared my residency to the other artists-

months, causing an excessive amount of stress for all involved.

in-labs projects, the expectations of each lab, including

Also the short time between notification and beginning the

the scientists and the artists, were very different from one

residency made it impractical to look for third party project

another. Perhaps this is due to the differences between the

funding, but this seemed to be due to the time frame of the

labs and their requirements. Werner Pfäffli and I were very

funding bodies.

surprised when we finally compared notes, as the Planetarium was the only 'film production lab' for the public.

Still, the artists-in-labs program presented a valuable opportunity for both artists and scientists and under new

Coming to terms with this new medium occupied so much

circumstances and is worth pursuing in the future. A great

of the residency time, that unfortunately not much of the

deal has been learnt during this first experiment from which

three months was left over for reflection or the exchange of

future artists can benefit. Perhaps more importantly, the

methods and ideas. Had the residency been longer, allowing

general public can also benefit from the results of such

for more purely creative time, more discussion and mutual

collaborations. In our case, the audience was very excited

influence could have occurred. A minimum of six months

about the films we produced and fostering acceptance and

residency would have been more appropriate. We all also

understanding of both art and science among the general

learnt that complementary resumés are not sufficient criteria

public is a goal we all share in this program.

for creative or successful collaboration

Credits In conclusion, although my experience was sometimes a

Helga Pogatscher, Angelika von Chamier, Michaele Pfeil,

negative one, I did profit from obtaining new technological

Dirk Schreier, Werner Pfäffli, Doreen Borchert, Alfred Banza,

knowledge from my collaborators at the planetarium. I also

Ulrich Sparrer, Luka Mann, Pascal auf der Mauer, Thomas

intend to continue the production of 'Moon Walk'. I am more

Trüb, Uli Thalmann, Dirk Schreier, Vincent Assmann, Frida

fascinated and inspired by the dome format than I even

Schuchardt, the archives of the Swiss Museum of Transport

anticipated when I proposed the project. The staff at the

and of the Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg. as well as HFF

museum was extremely helpful and put all available resources

'Konrad Wolf', Potsdam-Babelberg.

at my disposal, including an immense amount of their time and effort, for which I am very grateful. I believe they also gained knowledge from me about aesthetics, process, experimentation, and techniques that they might not have otherwise obtained. In future I would recommend that the residency be longer.

105

Tiffany Holmes

USA

ARTIST IN THE COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY, COLAB, ETH, ZURICH

Disciplines: Installation, Interactive New Media Project Proposal: Floating Point: The creative visualization of the factors influencing water quality. I plan to work on an artistic real-time visualization of water quality in local lakes, rivers, and oceans using five critical water quality parameters: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and turbidity.

(Photo: Interactive graphic visualization by Tiffany Holmes : Water quality of the 'Limmat' river in Zurich on Saturday, 23rd September, 4 p.m., 2004)

106

FLOATING POINT: ART, TECHNOLOGY AND WATER

Tiffany Holmes

Introduction

I hope the 'Floating Point' research helps to focus public

On August 1, 2004, I flew to Zurich and joined the artists-in-

attention - however briefly - on water quality concerns.

labs project. For five months, I worked as a resident artist at the CoLab, a computer science research group at the Swiss

Process

Federal Institute of Technology (ETH). I intended to make a

During my first month, I met with the CoLab researchers

simple data visualization piece about water pollution called

with a background in electrical engineering. I had previously

'Floating Point'.

purchased two dissolved oxygen sensors with serial connections. The challenge was to get the data from these

I am happy to report that I built a prototype during the

sensors into my computer, and then port this data in a

short five months. On December 16th, 2004, I exhibited

readable format to my animation software.

my audiovisual installation to 250 environmental scientists

After five weeks of testing, I spent an afternoon with Dr.

and water resource specialists. But first, you might ask, why

Thomas Rösgen from the ETH’s Institute for Fluid Dynamics.

would an artist be interested in making art about water? I

Rösgen wrote a serial protocol for my Jenco sensor using

grew up on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, a watershed

an application called 'MatLab'. We worked together to get

that saw a tremendous productivity decline due to diminish-

the same code to communicate with the Vernier LabPro

ed water quality in the 1980’s. As I saw this happening

device. I was thrilled to see that both sensors worked with

before my eyes, I got interested in the issues of water from

the PC and I was eager to test my skills at porting Rösgen’s

a global perspective. The future of the world population

code over to the Macintosh environment. Soon I had both

depends on the availability of safe drinking water. In some

sensors functioning with my animation software.

countries, water is a scarce resource, while in others vast

After solving the hardware problems, I sought out scientists

reserves exist. Freshwater supplies are easily contaminated.

with projects in local stream ecology at EAWAG—the Swiss

Common pollutants include pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum

Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology,

products, and industrial solvents. As global citizens, I believe

Department of Limnology. After a series of friendly emails,

we must become more informed about potential health

I was invited to accompany Dr. Christopher Robinson and

risks associated with our drinking water. We need to know

Dr. Urs Uehlinger to the Swiss National Park to take water

something about water pollution around the world because

samples from the River Spöl. Robinson and Ühlinger are

we are big consumers of aquatic creatures - where does your

studying ways that 'controlled flooding' can keep a dammed

sushi come from?

river healthy. Their research is of great importance to hydroelectric power managers who manage outflows to

How is water quality typically assessed? Scientists regularly

maintain the ecological integrity of the river downstream

test water to monitor concentrations of dissolved solids and

from the dam.

chemical pollutants - like mercury or lead. Specialists identify patterns and changes in watersheds by building visual models

The trip to the Swiss National Park was a highlight of the

that process enormous amounts of data. Familiar graphing

residency. On October 6, 2004, we drove southeast across

techniques include bar graphs and x-y scatter plots. In my

the Alps to the River Spöl with a coffee break at the kitsch

art, I use the same water quality data to create animations

outpost of Heidiland. On this beautiful fall day, we tested

that try to communicate vital environmental information

water at three sites near the dam. The water quality data

to a non-scientific audience. The goal here is to promote a

that we gathered included: stream flow rate, conductivity,

general awareness of both local and global water issues, and

temperature, and turbidity. Their turbidity meter is quite

ecologically responsible modes of living. While I am well aware

high-tech; it uses a laser to measure the clarity of the water

that art is not a solution to the problem of water pollution,

in less than a second.

107

Environmental scientists measuring water quality - Spöl River, Switzerland

Photo: Water Quality. Excursion to the River Spöl. Tiffany Holmes

The field excursion was a fantastic opportunity to speak

Yet with one month left at CoLab, I decided that the human

with experts about water monitoring methods while

forms did not communicate enough about the data coming

simultaneously learning about ongoing Swiss research

from the sensors. The scientists that saw the piece on-line

in stream ecology. The River Spöl trip and all of my other

wanted a simple explanation of how the image and sound were

meetings with the EAWAG scientists were experiences where

being affected by the sensor data. I could not adequately give

I really felt connected to a shared mission of environmental

them this with the sketches that manipulated the bitmaps of

resource conservation. In general, I found that the life

the human faces.

scientists and I had more common interests and combined goals than the computer scientists. The positive exchange

So, I abandoned the images of the faces and the images of

with the limnologists and ecologists also motivated me to go

the water surfaces I had been collecting. In the end, I made

back to the CoLab to work on different designs for the water

an important conceptual decision: I chose to use one 32-bit

quality visualization.

one-pixel square to make my visuals. Water is an essential resource for life; the pixel is the basic unit of the screen.

After establishing good communication with the sensors, I

Data gathered over time can create complexity out of this

shifted my focus from technical issues to concept design. To

very simple form. At the beginning of the final prototype

explore as many possibilities as I could within the five-month

animation, a small square draws a horizontal line at the

residency, I assigned myself a weekly problem: "Create a

bottom of the simulation. The concentration of dissolved

new interactive sketch using simulated sensor readings". All

oxygen determines how much of the blank canvas the square

twenty of these sketches can be seen on-line at: http://www.

can occupy, as well as how large the square is and how fast

enviroart.org/HolmesColab/docs/. Actually, I began with

it moves. The circles drawn in the image depict points where

a rather simple concept. A body of water is metaphorically

the dissolved oxygen level increased by more than .05

connected to the body of a human, so I would use images

mg/L. If the temperature goes above 25 degrees Celsius,

of faces to represent changes in water quality. At the end of

a conceptual 'algae bloom' occurs with rows and rows of

three months, I liked how the sketches for Week 13 and Week

bright green boxes lining the top of the drawing. Overall, I

14 worked visually but was not convinced that the electronic

was satisfied with the progress of the prototype yet I am still

animations made sense conceptually. For example, in Week

working a year later to resolve all of the visual and conceptual

14 the user alters dissolved oxygen levels in the simulation

details. I never realized how difficult it could be to make an

by dragging a simple slider. As oxygen levels increase, more

abstract drawing communicate something understandable

slices of human faces are added to the bitmap on screen.

but not overtly didactic about water pollution.

The logic here was that greater amounts of oxygen support a greater diversity of living creatures—adding more oxygen meant you would see more faces in the simulation.

108

Graphic visualization of the water quality from a baby’s dirty bathwater

On-line sketch book, http://www.enviroart.org/HolmesColab/docs/

Conclusions

the lab directors help to entice scientists to collaborate with

My experience at CoLab has been energizing and immensely

artists, and some funds could be made available for this task.

rewarding. Through my conversations with my colleagues

Alternatively, the artist could be assigned to a working group

at the CoLab, I gained a greater understanding of the study

wishing to have an artist for the completion of a project.

of molecular dynamics—the movement of liquids at the molecular level. Peter J. Bentley’s book, 'Digital Biology'

Overall, I am content with the progress of 'Floating Point', but

proved enormously useful for background reading in the area

a deeper level of collaboration would have been interesting.

of evolutionary computing. Collaborative design projects

Perhaps most importantly, I made some lifelong science

in the lab also aided my learning. I worked with an ICOS

friends and I still email, visit and chat with these computer

team to make a poster highlighting the varied uses of a

scientists and physicists regularly. For me, it is these lasting

special piece of software called the 'Parallel Particle Mesh

relationships established between artists and scientists

Library'. In making this poster, I asked several scientists Ivo

(who would never have had an opportunity to meet) which

Sbalzarini, Jens Walther, Michael Bergdorf, Simone Hieber,

constitute the most vital outcome of the artists-in-labs

and the CoLab Director, Dr. Petros Koumoutsakos to discuss

residency program.

their application of the software tool to solve problems in molecular dynamics and cell biology.

Thank you to: Christopher Robinson and Urs Ühlinger (EAWAG, Department

My expectations for the artists-in-labs residency at CoLab

of Limnology ) Thomas Rösgen (Institute of Fluid Dynamics,

were different than the outcome. Initially, I hoped to develop

ETH Zurich), Petros Koumoutsakos and the staff of the

my project with some computer programming support

CoLab (ETH Zurich)

from the lab. However, I soon discovered that no person had been designated to offer either concept development or programming hours to my project. As a result, I worked alone from 9am to 6pm every day for much of the residency. Unfortunately, there was not enough funding from the artistsin-labs residency group to pay someone in the lab to help me with programming. Though I considered abandoning my project to work immediately on research at the lab, there was not an identifiable project at the CoLab that required direct input from an artist. Therefore I felt quite challenged with only five months to produce a prototype. Should the artistsin-labs residency program continue, I would recommend that

109

Axel Vogelsang

GERMANY/UK

ARTIST IN THE INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS, GLOBIS, ETH, ZURICH

Discipline: Design, Human Machine Interfaces Project Proposal: Augmented Fairy Tale. How can we turn paper from a rather passive medium into a user experience that includes our physical environment? I want to explore how technologies such as those developed in the ETH Paper++ research can be used to trigger physical events.

(Photo: Final interactive narrative platform from the 'Lost Cosmonaut' by Axel Vogelsang and the GlobIS Group)

110

THE LOST COSMONAUT

Axel Vogelsang

The residency

list and we both assessed all the elements according to the

The personal welcome at the ETH GlobIS (Global Information

feasibility, the technical difficulty and the relevance.

Systems) Lab was hearty and I was also very intrigued by

Meanwhile, Andrea had come up with various fragments

how well the institute was equipped and how quickly they

of stories and suitable interactions. I was also working on

responded to my own needs. Having worked on several web

various possible stories and in order to keep the GlobIS

projects before, the experience of working as an artist and

group updated I gave presentations about the storylines

designer together with people from the programming side

Andrea and I had developed.

was not too unfamiliar and helped me to settle in quickly.

In order to come to a conclusion about the basic storyline for our project, Andrea came over from London for a two-

The first weeks at the lab were mainly an exchange with my

day workshop in which we developed several interesting

main scientific collaborator, Beat Signer. He took a great deal

narratives and finally I decided on a story related to Russian

of time with me and we discussed in great detail the actual

cosmonauts being lost in space.

technologies that our project was supposed to support.

Meanwhile, the actual installation setup had started to

Digitally enhanced paper is about using paper as an interface

evolve by the group, and it became clearer what the technical

for the computer. The general idea is that a pen is electronically

requirements would be, and who could help us. The policy

equipped to read its x/y-positions on a piece of paper and to

of the director of the Institute, Professor Dr. Moira Norrie

send this data to a computer. The reading is done for instance

was to let the lab members decide whether they wanted to

through a little camera in the tip of the pen that detects a

be involved or not. Four other great research members of

fine grid printed onto the paper. This allows for mapping of

the lab, Rudi Belotti, Corsin Decurtins, Ljiljana Vukelja and

events onto the paper. This is also called 'digitally enhanced

Nadir Weibel showed their interest to contribute during the

reading', that is, reactions of the computer can be predefined

final hot phase. The work of these Ph.D. assistants was also

for the pen (actually the camera in the pen) hitting certain

related to the technology but it was understood that they

areas on the paper. For example, if the user points onto an

had to do their regular job as well. I initiated meetings in

image of a bird in an educational brochure, the computer

a two-to-three-week rhythm with this core group of our

would play a sound of that specific bird’s song. But this pen

project to get their feedback and to help them to find their

also writes with a ballpoint tip and the computer captures

place in the project.

this movement of writing simultaneously. So it is both

With the beginning of the fourth month and after two more

a reading and writing device.

meetings with Andrea in London the final setup was decided. It included a desk and a back circular window, with a projection

Our aim in the artists-in-labs program was to develop a

surface. It was very helpful that Dr. Morrie could arrange this

narrative space in which the audience could interact with

construction to be made by the ETH wood workshop. Andrea

the paper and the pen. The computer would react to these

Lombardoni from the GlobIS Lab put up an on-line 'Wiki' as

activities by changing the environment: light settings,

a communication tool for our team and we used this a lot

sounds, and projections of text, video, images. Andrea Lioy,

over the next weeks in order to collaborate also to talk to

a playwright and lecturer in narrative based in London, was

Andrea in London.

engaged to work with me on the narrative aspects.

Meanwhile, I had worked on the design and layout of the

In the second month I mainly collected ideas about how the

interactive objects made of paper. As explained before, the

audience could interact with these given technologies and

electronic pen detects a grid on the paper, which exists of

looked at what kind of narrative would fit these interactions.

very tiny dots. Usually, this grid would be printed in offset-

I produced a long list of possible interactions that we could

technology rather than on inkjets or laser printers. Therefore,

include in our project. Together with Beat I went through this

I tested the grid with various digital printers at the ETH and

111

Electronic drawing potentials in the 'Lost Cosmonaut' by Axel Vogelsang

In progress storyboard of the interactive narrative and platform

I also investigated how to integrate photos into the grid,

together would have been hard to realize in a similar

which was until then mainly used in connection with text and

timeframe anywhere else in the world. Besides the project,

graphics.

the level lectures, discussions, seminars, presentations and workshops I attended gave me new insights in a wide range

When November, my last month had arrived, we all realized

of IT-related topics. I was really surprised about the approach

we needed more time. We had planned to exhibit in the

and attitude of the GlobIS lab members. When working with

middle of December and both the artists-in-labs team and

programmers in commercial contexts, new ideas are often

I were pleasantly surprised when Professor Norrie offered

seen as a risk to the financial and timing restrictions; how-

to extend my artists-in-labs contract until the end of the

ever, with the people from the GlobIS lab they absolutely

year. At the end of the November, the construction from

welcomed new ideas as challenges as a first priority. However,

the ETH workshop had arrived. Although the workload

I also learnt that although it can be quite difficult to get

had intensified, it became clear that it was not possible to

priorities into the right order in such a project. There exists

deliver a finished piece in the given time frame, but rather

the need to freely explore the environment one is placed

a prototype. Meanwhile, I was busy producing content in

in as an artist and also the need for detailed planning with

form of pictures, small movies and sounds and three other

the group to consider. This was not made easier by the fact

artists in lab, Tiffany Holmes, Adrianne Wortzel and Nigel

that I was not only dependent on my partners from the ETH

Helyer had given their voice-overs and stories as a part of

but also on my writing partner Andrea Lioy in London.

the feedback. Kurt Schlegel, a sound engineer, musician and

In the begin-ning I had little control in the programming

friend, designed the different sound environments.

infrastructure and also little influence on the scriptwriting and this left me feeling quite helpless sometimes.

About one week before the presentation we all started to put together the different components and build the installation.

In the future I would recommend that I should try to pin

Meanwhile everybody in the team was working overtime and

down a clear concept at a much earlier stage and I would also

late night hours: pre-presentation stress as usual. Finally, we

take control of the content development from the beginning.

got everything up and running for the presentation. It was a

Our project was obviously overambitious for the amount of

very successful show and a great finish for a very successful

time given and trying to finish things after any residency

artists-in-labs residency.

can become very complicated as both sides move on. So it is necessary to find the right balance between exploration

Learning

and anticipatory planning. The most important outcome for

Even though I was familiar with some IT potentials, I learned

me is that the residency has actually helped me to focus my

a lot about the specific technologies that have been developed

own Ph.D. research as a designer. 'The Lost Cosmonaut' has

at this lab. I am well aware that what we have produced

been a starting point to a much more detailed exploration

112

The viewer can add narration by matching photos, creating new narratives

The Map of Stars with the digital pen, which writes and reads simultaneously

of interactive, emerging and tangible narrative, which has

work with predictable as well as unpredictable feedback

materialized in several new project descriptions.

potentials. I think that in the case of my residency the expectations of

Besides ongoing work on the project, I am currently working on

both sides have mostly been met, which also showed in the

two other related projects and I am in advanced negotiations

great team spirit that evolved during the project. It was a very

with a possible sponsor for one of them. It is even true that

good collaboration in a sense that the requirements of the

some of the ideas, developed in the first phase of the

project triggered many ideas for new solutions as well as that

residency but left aside, might be revived at a later stage.

the lab collaborators constantly produced inventive solut-

I am aware though that the division between content/artist

ions that we could use for the installation. I am confident that

and infrastructure/scientist as the basis of this collaboration

from a scientific point of view the prototype can be seen as

clearly predetermines the type of the partnership and also the

a showcase of what is possible with this kind of technology.

way the outcome is perceived. In presenting a piece of art the content is what the audience is mostly aware of (hopefully!).

Thank you to

This can lead to the lab being received as a mere facilitator

Moira Norrie, (Head of Lab),

of the art piece whereas its important role as a catalyst is

Beat Signer, Ljiljana Vukelja, Rudi Belotti,

underestimated. Therefore, one should consider whether it is

Nadir Weibel, Andrea Lioy, Kurt Schlegel.

possible to break open these roles: What happens if the lab

Contributions by:

becomes more involved in the content and what if the artist

Nigel Helyer, Tiffany Holmes, Andrea Lombardoni, Greg

takes part in developing the infrastructure? It is clear that

Skerman, Clea Waite, Adrianne Wortzel and Domen Fras.

this would be a much riskier approach and it would involve a basic technical training for the artist but it might lead to a more equal partnership.

Conclusion Meanwhile, I have presented movies of the project at several occasions in the context of my university, as well as in other art and design related institutions. The feedback I got was very positive, even though I heard some sceptical feedback about the relevance of the work from inside the ETH. I would imagine this has to do with the fact that the current prototype is only a demonstrator, which needs to be developed and re-worked into a more focused finished

113

Margarete Jahrmann / Max Moswitzer

AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND

ARTISTS IN THE INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB, UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH

Discipline: Interactive New Media, Computer Graphics, Design Project

Proposal: 'Action-Bot-Intelligence,

nonlinear software 'toolz' in open source game-engines and

recombinant hardware-interfaces'. The focus of the project will be to evaluate the surplus of an epistemological view on cultural and technological codes and cultures. The starting point will be an artistic experimental lab situation or an art installation which will trigger 'mediapoiesis' (i.e. generative arts coming out of internal systems processes in optional gaming-networks).

(Photo: 'GoApe', a social game and simulation platform by Jahrmann, Moswitzer and members of the Artificial Intelligence lab)

114

THE NEVER-ENDING LAB-EXPERIMENT HISTORY Margarete Jahrmann and Max Moswitzer

Month one

Month two

Initially, we were very impressed by the research projects

By month two, 'action-bot-intelligence' had grown into

and the substantial collection of robots presented in the

an investigation of neural networks and cognitive science.

Artificial Intelligence Lab. There was an impressive chorus

Daniel Bisig thought that this aspect could be useful

line of robots parading around the laboratory. This was

for agents in scientific simulations, because Artificial

very encouraging and our expectations rose, while we were

Intelligence integrates the specifics of material into

preparing our artists-in-lab concept. Our expectations were

intelligence implementation and does not try to separate

encouraged by the scientists. From our side, the convincing

the brain functions from the body. When these notions are

visual presence of certain coded game-art works are open to

transferred onto machine systems, related simulation can

possibilities of interpretation. This report is an introduction

occur from real robots. According to the head of the Artificial

to the rise and development of these expectations,

Intelligence lab, Dr. Rolf Pfeifer, these AI concepts can be

including some of the frustrations and compliances in the

exemplified in the simulation of neural networks.

relationship between us and the scientists. It was clear from the beginning that this would be a new experience for both

We introduced the idea of connecting the input signals of

sides in the relationship. As an example of our orientation

other 'artists hard bots' with the possibility of connecting

and position the laboratory, here is an excerpt from the

up real robots from the Artificial Intelligence Lab’s research

original project idea, entitled Action-Bot-Intelligence: "The

group to our simulation engine. In this way we thought that

laboratory situation should become the living environment

the agents behaviour could be influenced from outside. After

for a experimental bot-population. This zoo of bots consists

a short discussion period it became clear that the scientists

of several server machines and peripheral components

referred our engine as 'The Game Engine', and we refered

in different configurations". A computer-game is also an

to it as the 'Simulation Engine'. Both sides agreed, it would

environment for minimal artificial intelligence, these are

retain its potential for open source software. However,

called 'action-bots' in the lingo of gaming. The action-bot

after a great deal of research, we did not find a satisfying

intelligences are part of a game engine simulation, which

open source game-engine with an implemented agent

can trigger hard and software requests. Initially, an internal

intelligence. We wanted to find something like this, because

experimental network was set up in the laboratory, to

we wanted to stimulate a broad interest from the software

integrate the observer as actor or 'spect-acteur'. The aim was

'developer' community. We have always been interested

to experiment on the network’s immanent qualities. Here the

in the social aspect of the development in open source

Artificial Intelligence Lab was our preferred partner, because

projects. However, this social dimension turned out to the

of their research focus in 'embodied' artificial intelligence

most difficult point. We took our chances and presented the

and because of the internal specifications of the various

project at an internal lab meeting, alongside our earlier work

materials for robotic devices. This research corresponds to

about the deconstruction of game engines. This presentation

our own artistic research on the subject of 'mediapoiesis'.

consisted of very 'abstract' audiovisual material and it had a

We have derived this term from the word 'autopoiesis', which

problematic effect on our position in the lab. On one hand,

was coined by the neuroscientists Maturana and Varela in

it led to some misunderstandings, because our focal point

order to describe living systems. The term 'mediapoiesis', is

from an artistic perspective was about tactical modification

a way to look at the internal behaviour of used programmed

of existing programs, but not about coding or programming

code, along with its integrated interface/hardware material,

from scratch. Our 'abstract' game movies represent for us a

located on a game-engine. Such an environment might be

type of 'transcoded' communication process. Rolf Pfeifer, on

operationally closed, but it also can be 'energetically opened'

the other hand, suggested that there was a big potential in

for other systems to enter.

the abstract and intuitive representations of an agent and

115

Agents in the game environment from 'GoApe', their movements inspired by the behaviour of primates neural networks and on-line manipulation

its process of change. He expressed serious interest in the

In this way artists may take a reflective and critical position.

project regarding intelligence. If the project could develop

We care about dominance and hierarchy, and how to get

in such a manner - it could offer new insights on behaviour,

a reputation in the development of environments where

including the relational movements of agents, that would

communities and communications 'flow'.

not be possible by a conventional representation of existing

Then one day we were strolling around in the Artificial

structures and figures.

Intelligence Lab and we found a project called 'Dom World'. This project completely shifted our artistic concept.

Month three

Through Jan Wantia (Ph.D. researcher) we were introduced

During an ongoing inquiry, it was not an easy task to make

to Charlotte Hemelrijk`s (1999) work. Hemelrijk had been

sure that our social-code program elements would remain an

busy analysing and simulating primate societies, based on

equal part of the collaboration, especially if the agents were

the actual observation of a macaques ape population. 'Dom-

expected to be constantly evolving entities. In our opinion it

World' simulated the emergence of hierarchical structures

was very important to follow the idea, that social networking

in primate societies. This was exactly the type of model we

and different interest groups should continue to be involved

needed and it led to a new title for the project: 'GoApe'.

in the project. Social networking is a relevant part of any

We thought the title 'GoApe' with its slang connotations

art/science project, and we still wanted to pursue it as an

of losing control, anger or excitement, was interesting in

ongoing enterprise. Therefore, when an artist is asked to

relation to the handling of social, economical, political and

make 3D models for a developing science project or to be

technological frameworks. So therefore, we had the idea of

literal about surface aesthetics, one really can get upset. We

integrating different levels of accessibility and even learning

have a very set aesthetic idea about semantic information

possibilities into this game engine. With all this in mind,

which is destroyed by the aesthetic modification of these

we drew up a wish-list for the ongoing project. Beside the

constraints. Our interest was not to design new surfaces, but

conceptual growth and the deployment of the game engine

to try a more conceptual approach. For us, code has a certain

we started to work on the implementation. We were not

poetic quality and we wanted to influence the style in which

trained as c++ programmers, although we did have experi-

the proposed simulation engine was written.

ence in modifying existing engines and in conceptualizing

At this point the residency became very shaky. It was difficult

software. Using an interface and documented manual we

to explain why such aspects were important to us and also to

developed the aesthetics, but the operational accessibility

Jonas Bösch, the writer of the code. Therefore, more time

remained in the hands of the scientists who could programme.

was necessary to ensure that all coded texts could have a

As artists we thought hooking onto an existing simulation

political and meaningful dimension. This conceptual ap-

like 'Dom World', had some advantages but also some

proach is how non-scientific cultures interpret code, or can

disadvantages. Where is the line between the master of the

integrate software scenes as part of the open source culture.

code and the artist‘s ideals?

116

'Dom World' (1999), Charlotte Hemelrijk’s research about primates

Work in Progress; Jonas Bösch. The 'GoApe' simulation platform

The social aspect was definitely a topic of much broader

environment. This new goal incorporated the situation

relevance to us. After a lot of research about certain open

and position of artificial simulation and embedded equally

source libraries, we met a diploma student Jonas Bösch.

artificial neural networks, mechanical systems and the

Jonas became our partner for this project and wanted to

process of social decision-making.

use his part for his diploma thesis. It soon became clear that the engineering of the code and the feedback between

Month five

the code and its use inside the development of the engine

By the end of month five, these functions were not entirely

was problematic. The engine should have fed back into the

implemented, but then we were awarded a grant from the

simulation; otherwise it could not be called a 'game engine'.

Federal Office of Culture: Sitemapping.ch to continue this

His influence led us to a radically different avatar concept,

project. This grant has already involved more scientific work

which could be driven by a neural network, connected to

by Jonas Bösch, who programmed applications of the engine

an autonomous agent simulation. We hoped this new agent

and he was joined by Tsuy Ito, who made his diploma thesis

connection could be affected by external behaviours of any

around the idea of our open source engine. Towards the end

player who wanted to also be an active developer in running

of the project time, the issue was raised about how artists

the game-engine.

could use the results of the software development in science labs, either as art or as tools for science. As it turned out

Month four

this issue was not a copyright question for us, but a personal

The idea was that an outside player could either tune his or

one. Programmers definitely have creative interests in

her customized avatar by changing external hardware or by

their own codes and perhaps they also have some reasons

scripting instead. We thought that this could lead to different

why they do not want concepts from artists linked to these

ways of activating and creative gaming networks. It might

codes. We suggest that open and straightforward discussions

even bring different software scenes and cultures together,

could solve these problems. However, after our artists-in-

which cross over between life, the arts and the sciences. The

labs experience, it still remains unclear for us, whether it

new aim of the project was to develop a simulation tool for

is valuable to link conceptual content from artists to basic

generic agent behaviour, which served as both as scientific

scientific research.

experimentation platform and as a multi-user art installation. The tool should be particularly geared towards the simulation

My sincere thanks to

and analysis of social phenomena such as hierarchy formation

Daniel Bisig, Jonas Bösch, Rolf Pfeifer (director of lab),

in agent societies and group behaviour. We thought that

Charlotte Hemelrijk, Jan Wantia.

the study of social phenomena should not be restricted to simulated agents but include the analytical interaction of players from the open source community in our multi-player

117

Adrianne Wortzel

USA

ARTISTS IN THE INSTITUTE OF INFORMATIONS SYSTEMS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB, UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH

Disciplines:

Drama-Driven Robotic and Telerobotic Fictive Texts, Installation, Performance Productions,

Operatic Scenarios

Project Proposal:'Converse Engineering: Stories of Emerging Differentiation and Otherness in Robotic Entities'. The creation of true-to-Artificial-Intelligence-lab phenomena-narrative(s) garnered from the emergence of otherness and differentiation in singular or modular robotic elements to develop a fictive scenario featuring robotic entities as characters.

(Photo: 'A-Mouse', robot developed by © Miriam Fend and Simon Bovet, Artificial Intelligence Lab and appropriated by Adrianne Wortzel for her film 'Archipelago')

118

CONVERSE ENGINEERING:

STORIES OF EMERGING DIFFERENTIATION

AND OTHERNESS IN ROBOTIC ENTITIES Adrianne Wortzel

My residency mission was to collaborate with the Artificial

and to many of my peers. Artists-as-researchers situate their

Intelligence Lab researchers to develop an original dramatic

work, or devise ingenious experimentation, in order to allow

scenario emerging directly from their research. This was suc-

innate intelligence (meaning) to emerge on its own terms -

cessfully achieved by a gratifying circuitous route afforded by

ultimately what you get is not what you see - what you get

the many happy and verdant areas of research in the Artificial

is what the processes of invention and their interpolation

Intelligence Lab and their conceptual implications. I enjoyed

will eventually offer.

the benefits of observation, immersion and interactivity with

For example, the outcome of experimentation at the Artificial

the robotic research through direct conversation and email

Intelligence Lab, would never be considered to fail even if

with researchers, available research materials as well as all the

that outcome was not necessarily the predicted one, or

lectures of Dr. Rolf Pfeifer and his students at the university.

the machine, in practice, became broken. The paradigm of

I learned an enormous amount about natural and man-made

'failure' does not apply because even if the researcher wants

phenomena pertaining to creative Artificial Intelligence.

to target specific types of data, the Artificial Intelligence

And I had an opportunity to compare methodologies of the

Lab’s robots are couched in embodiments and environmental

pursuit of art, science and combinations thereof. In each of

simulations devised by the researcher to offer data only made

my former performative productions or installations, whether

possible by its structure, embodiment, and environment.

situated in real or virtual spaces, a dramatic scenario evolved

What emerges in an embodied form is something that follows

out of the circumstances and environment in which the work

a path of its own evolution, and can manifest itself as the

was embedded. Research projects at the Artificial Intelli-

sum of its parts. This also has much in common with art

gence Lab would furnish me with actors for my scenario;

practice, as I know it, for even when I was a painter, any

my premise in creating a narrative being that all creatures -

painting I was working on took over at some point and made

whether natural, machined or virtual - are actors in the sense

me paint it to its own conclusion. My job was mostly to stay

that they evidence types and degrees of awareness and react-

out of its way while I painted.

ivity and are subject to both experience and surveillance.

Although the issue of applications and their development for commercial use is present in the Zurich Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Lab research focuses on the interrelation-

Lab, there exists such a freedom to question and seek the

ship between morphology, cognitive capabilities and environ-

nature of true intelligence. Also the discoveries at the lab

ment in generating behaviour. Biomimetic engineering of

are not governed by consensus, or even the idea of a final

biological principles are explored by either abstracting natural

conclusion, but honed through the process or experience

morphologies in robotic embodiments or by implementing

of experimentation. It is extremely exciting as an artist to

biological processes such as developmental growth or

work where the focus is on emergence, rather than one

evolution in order for robotic morphologies to emerge. This

where experimentation is put in the service of command

Artificial Intelligence Lab is unique in that robots are born

modules with inflexible assigned tasks.

out of emergence and treasured for the feedback they provide

Although I knew I would be imposing or integrating a

to humans in their process of evolution rather than to match

scenario of some kind on top of this research, I wanted

a task-oriented agenda. For example, a researcher develops a

that scenario to grow directly out of the research itself.

particular morphology occurring in nature, which reflects the

The Artificial Intelligence Lab is interdisciplinary in nature,

processes of evolution including a striving to learn. Artificial

including researchers who are roboticists, engineers,

Intelligence lab experimentation is exploratory and ventilat-

physicists, linguists and biologists. It is true that, at the time

ed in its scope and researchers are free to work through a

of my arrival, art was still considered by most researchers

process of both calculated and intuitive trial and error.

as a separate and opposing practice, and not really given

This is also true of an artist‘s methodology, at least in my case

credence as a contributory force as a discipline in itself or

119

Adrianne Wortzel’s blue-screen set for the production of theatrical senarios

On the set for filming: Robot dog © Fumiya Iida 2005

as contributory to research. This did not impede progress

of the project for which we require additional funding.

because there were exceptions and I was extremely lucky

My own art project, however, developed simultaneously

in being assigned a facilitator experienced in prior art and

with the construction of the theatre and the theatre formed

science collaborations, Dr. Daniel Bisig, who soon became,

one of the sets for our project. During this phase we were

and remains, a full collaborator in this project.

fortunate to have the collaboration of a Swiss artist, Reto Inaebnit, who experimented with chromakey manipulation

By mid-August, we had decided to construct both a

through Jitter software, and, with Daniel Bisig, who initiated

permanent and a portable telerobotic blue screen arena in

and sustained sensory input tests with sensors in order to

the lab. This would be a communal arena where robots could

make the theatre telerobotic. By September, after considering

interact with each other. This arena would be a twin theatre

several scenarios, I decided I would like to create a fictive

to the telerobotic and chromakey theatre 'Studio Blue'

documentary in several formats: for broadcast on broadband

installed at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Sci-

or TV, in theatres, and as installation. My immediate attention

ence and Art in New York, of which I am founder and director.

went to the development of a written film script in which

In doing this we drew on the thesis of successful Masters

the entire lab would become a theatre in itself. Its physical

candidates in mechanical engineering at Cooper Union:

layout and its mission lent itself very much to the idea of

James Cole, James Cruickshanks and Marcin Balicki, plus

a series of islands, where idiosyncratic indigenous creatures

the senior project work of Mohammed Yusuf also at Cooper

were evolving in each lab (on each 'island'). In fact, Chapter

Union. 'StudioBlue' was created with support of the dean

17, 'The Galapagos' of Charles Darwin’s book 'The Voyage

of engineering Eleanor Baum, Dr. Jean Lemee, Dr. Stan Wei

of the Beagle', was a perfect armature for rendering the

and Dr. Carl Weiman, and funded by a U.S. National Science

Artificial Intelligence Lab as an 'archipelago of islands'.

Foundation grant in 2001.

The image of the discovery of a large, albeit fictive,

We conferred with Artificial Intelligence Lab director Dr. Rolf

archipelago in Switzerland has particular irony because,

Pfeifer, who could not have been more positive. This venture,

of course, it is a landlocked country and, at this time, very

I made clear, would not be my artists-in-labs project per se,

much outside of the EU arena. Therefore, metaphorically the

but an additional project which I heartily supported and one

country in itself could also be rendered as an island and so

which would benefit the Artificial Intelligence lab research-

the Swiss domain name 'archipelago.ch' was claimed for the

ers, as an arena for filming, conducting experiments, and creat-

project. This on-going website, solely for documentation of

ing real-time feed back conceptually for their research. Our

the project, is accessible at http://www.archipelago.ch.

long-term goal is to actually create both the Zurich and New

In 're-writing' Darwin, all of the data with regard to the

York theatres as telerobotic arenas, giving web visitors the

Galapagos has been replaced with data of Switzerland.

ability to direct their own robotic scenarios by controlling the

For instance, the territory has the longitude and latitude

cameras, lights and sets. This, of course, is a future extension

coordinates of Zurich, and the number and height of

120

Selection of the film script by Adrianne Wortzel from 'Archipelago '

Being filmed on the treadmill: Robot dog © Fumiya Iida 2005

volcanoes in the Galapagos transliterated into the number

the aesthetic we wanted as well as an effective working

and heights of mountains in Switzerland.

relationship, which has continued remotely between Zurich

By the end of October, I had written a text for each of

and New York. We ended the residency with just four

the researcher’s projects as an 'island', and each robot

minutes of edited video featuring one of the robots. We

embodiment as an 'indigenous creature' of that island. It was

plan to complete the project as a film and then proceed

extremely gratifying to meet with the researchers and gain

with development of an interactive installation. This has

their input and feedback on their respective scripts. I wanted

been, and still is, a successful ongoing collaborative project.

to be sure that the robot was characterized solely on the

I could also add that we have just scratched the surface of

basis of what it was, or could be in the future, without

the advantages offered by collaboration between art and

distorting any of its characteristics.

science practitioners. Many creative ideas have sprouted in the months of this residency, yet the potential for deeper,

During this period we also persisted in shooting scenes with

more pervasive forms of mutual discovery and interpretation

the robots both in chromakey settings and in their actual

requires additional time and support, which may or may

environments. The decision was made to consider each of

not be forthcoming. My artists-in-labs residency has given

the robots‘ home labs as its environment, and Daniel Bisig

ample support to my prior experience. I believed that stories

began to shoot these environments as 'terrain' for our

absolutely true to empirical research evolve layered with

purposes. This was extremely successful.

marvellous subtexts; and that these subtexts can re-enter and even inform the science from which they stem. Working

November was devoted to honing the scripts and

with artists encourages scientists to proceed in short-range,

experimenting with shooting techniques. There was a great

middle-range and long range outcomes; and working with

deal of difficulty in attaining successful shots of the robots,

scientists give artists access to the best and most productive

which could be keyed in post-production, because many

content in the world.

of the robots have highly reflective components which rereflect the blue and/or green of the key color. We worked

My sincere thanks to

during this month with the filmmaker and fellow artist-in-

Daniel Bisig, Rolf Pfeifer, Nathan Labhart, Miriam Fend, Simon

lab Thomas Isler, who introduced us to optimum techniques

Bovet, Gabriel Gomez, Fumiya Iida, Lukas Lichtensteiger,

for chromakey shooting. In late November we also recorded

Marc Ziegler, Martin Krafft, Peter EggenbergerClaudia

the audio scripts, aided by an audio expertise of John Flury,

Wirth,

and the voice of Axel Vogelsang.

Thomas Isler, Reto Inaebnit, John Flury, Clilly Castiglia,

From December 15 through my departure from Switzerland

Axel Vogelsang, Nigel Helyer.

Pascal

Kaufman,

Harri

Valpola,

Jan

Wantia,

on December 21, Daniel Bisig and I were in post-production at the editing suite. We were extremely successful in forging

121

Margaret Tan

SINGAPORE

ARTIST IN THE SWISS CENTRE FOR ELECTRONICS AND MICROTECHNOLOGY, CSEM, ALPNACH/NEUCHÂTEL

Disciplines: Performance, Installation Art, Interactive Media Project Proposal:

Smart Apron. Using wearable computing to create a smart apron which can improve the

working conditions of foreign domestic workers.

(Photo: Margaret Tan working at CSEM on the fall-detector for her 'Smart Apron' for foreign domestic workers in Singapore and Switzerland.)

122

SMART APRONS IN SINGAPORE AND SWITZERLAND

Margaret Tan

Month one and two

I learnt that we had different notions of what was meant by the

At our first meeting, Max-Erick Busse-Grawitz, the Group

term 'off-the-shelf' product. I had electronic circuit-boards

Leader of electronic design was assigned by Dr. Ulrich

or chipsets in mind while Max-Erick had ready-made market

Claessen, the division head of CSEM Alpnach, to work together

products in mind. Although Max-Erick made interesting

with me on the proposed project entitled 'Smart Apron'.

suggestions, I felt the scientists did not take into account the

Max-Erick gave me a brief introduction to communication

fact that the aprons were meant for a very particular context.

protocol, something he felt that I should already know.

The apron was intended to help domestic foreign workers

However, I found it difficult to follow, as all the terms (for

communicate and form a central network for problems,

example 'Zigbee') were unfamiliar. My own research I had al-

which might arise during their working hours. For example,

ready done on wearable computing and conductive fabrics,

he suggested the latest GPS-enabled GSM phone with a one-

were seen as inapplicable and impractical. We went through

button SOS operation. I felt the distress button was a great

my proposal for the artists-in-labs project, discussed what

idea but the top-of-the-range phone was far too extravagant

was feasible or not within the time-frame of the residency.

for the context of the poor foreign domestic workers. Trying

It was settled that we would focus on two features of the

to find the right balance between function and context was

'Smart Apron', namely peer-to-peer communication and bio-

proving to be very difficult. One day, Max-Erick introduced

signals monitoring. However, I was also told that it would be

me to Jens Krauss, the section head of Control and Signal

difficult to make a prototype from scratch, due mainly to the

Processing Systems Engineering at CSEM Neuchâtel and we

limitations of time and money. Max-Erick suggested that I

immediately exchanged emails. They were developing a 'fall-

look at ready-made products that were already out in the

detector', which could differentiate a probable fall from an

market and create a pair of aprons that could suggest the

actual fall and send a signal to trigger an emergency call for

features but would not necessarily work. In other words, we

help. The other item of interest was the 'Pulsear', a special

could simulate a signal being sent without it actually being

headphone, which can also function as a pulse detector using

sent. With the support of Ulrich Claessen, it was eventually

infra-red signals to measure the saturation of oxygen in the

decided that we would make working prototypes. I believe

blood. I made the long trip alone to Neuchâtel, where I met

that my lack of training in electronics/electrical engineering

up with Jens Krauss and his colleague Patrick Celka. I was

compounded by Max-Erick‘s busy schedule resulted in a very

given a quick introduction to the lab and the products they

challenging situation for both of us. Time is essential not only

have developed, and also the 'fall-detector' and 'Pulsear'.

to work on the project but also simply to have discussions,

It was a very fruitful trip, with Jens promising me the use

real exchanges of ideas and to establish trust from both

of the items for the 'Smart Apron', on the condition that a

sides. Both parties need to have time off from their usual

technician from CSEM Alpnach would pick them up so that

projects to have a true collaboration; otherwise the artist is

they could be explained to me.

seen as an added burden. I spent the rest of June and the whole of July doing on-

Month three

line research, both to find the products and to increase my

This trip to the Neuchâtel lab allowed me to compare the

knowledge of the technologies involved. This helped me to

research going on in the various groups at CSEM. It soon

ask the right questions. However, because the 'Smart Apron'

became apparent that the type of research in the Neuchâtel

encompasses technologies of two major areas, namely

lab was more relevant to the development of the 'Smart

telecommunications and electronics, I found myself quickly

Apron'. They were also immediately open to my idea. In

overloaded with information. During this time, I met up with

Alpnach on the other hand, the social aspects of my research

Max-Erick three more times, each meeting averaging about

went extremely well. Gabriel Grüner and Marcel Honegger

twenty minutes, to go through the products that I had found.

(both from Microrobotics) were always there to help with my

123

Ulrich Claessen and Margaret Tan try out the fall-detector in the 'Smart Apron'

Tan demonstrates her apron technology to other CSEM scientists

Mac computer settings and network problems. I was even

hand, to join the project.

enjoying my daily train ride from Lucerne to Alpnach and

Eventually, Jens from Neuchâtel clarified the miscommuni-

back, which I shared with Gabriel, Marcel, Helmut Knapp

cation. I could have the items, but their lawyers needed to

(Microsystem Technology) and Sylvia Grossmann (Optics

see my artists-in-labs contract with CSEM. This contract gave

and Communication). I learnt a great deal from them about

the lab a say in terms of where the work will be shown. The

their research on these train rides. Encouraged by these

situation was resolved and the next step was for me, Max-

encounters, I started to cook Asian food for batches of

Erick and Josuh Torres (Electronic Design), to make a trip

people from the lab in my apartment. This proved to be a

to Neuchâtel together for the items. Max-Erick was asked

wonderful exchange opportunity, where we got to know

to make a space for me in his lab so that Josuh and I could

each other better and traded opinions and views on life,

work on the 'fall-detector'.

art, science, technology, philosophy, our countries, their systems, childcare, politics, and domestic workers. Slowly, I

Month four

realized I had a much better rapport with the Micro-Robotics

I was dismayed to find out that Josuh had been instructed

Group, compared to the Electronic Design Group, with whom

to spend a maximum of ten hours with me on this project

I was supposed to work.

and the trip to Neuchâtel would already use up eight hours of this allocated time. So I waited for the 'fall-detector'.

Then all of a sudden some devastating news came. I was told

After informing the director of the artists-in-labs project,

that the two items from Neuchâtel were unavailable because

Jill Scott about this situation, she decided to put me in

of patent issues. Ulrich Claessen, Max-Erick Busse-Grawitz

touch with her own programmer Andreas Schiffler, based

and I had an emergency meeting where we discussed our

in Canada. Andreas immediately started advising me on-

options. After some inappropriate suggestions, I asked that

line about other electronic circuit-boards available from the

we discuss this problem in an upcoming presentation in the

electronics company 'Conrad'. I could use these electronic

next general meeting. I hoped that a brain-storming session

parts for communication through mobile phones (e.g. VoIP)

with everyone in the lab might help. The director of the lab

by combining them with sensors and software available on

felt that my suggestion was not an appropriate option and I

the internet. This was very liberating and I also opened up

was terribly disappointed and felt like abandoning the whole

more to some other options going on around me. I attended

situation. I realized that in a lab like this an artist can be

a really great and informative one-week training in robotics,

assigned someone to work with and this might make sense on

which was actually paid for by the CSEM and I started moving

the surface but it might not necessarily work. The scientist

around the lab to those scientists who had the time to show

might not have the same interest or passion in the particular

me what they were doing. I tested the 3D camera that Yves

project, and at the same time, it can have the effect of

Stauffer (Ph.D. student in microrobotics) was working on

preventing others who might be keen or have more time on

under the supervision of Urs Zbinden with my camouflage

124

Camouflage experiments for CSEM 3D Camera tests

CSEM’s 3D Camera software makes an analysis of Tan´s camouflage tests

hand paintings. I watched Josuh whenever I could and

in Alpnach. In Neuchâtel, Jens arranged the LEDs to be

asked about the microelectronic parts he was working with.

extended out of the detector main unit, so that the signals

I soldered some of their discarded parts together. Soldering

could be visible through the apron pockets. Now I have two

on that micro-scale was certainly an interesting learning

working aprons, which can be used in a live performance

experience. Yanki Keles (Ph.D. student in microsystem

about domestic workers.

technologies) showed me her experiments on growing carbon nano-tubes and I followed her to Neuchâtel where

Overall, this residency had provided me with an exceptionally

she worked with the Scanning Electron Microscope.

enriching and challenging experience, but I did sometimes

Being in Neuchâtel, I ran into Jens who in sympathy decided

wonder, if I was in the wrong lab. Nevertheless, I was exposed

to pass me one of the detectors for my project. By the end

to people, equipments and research that I would not normally

of September, I got a space to solder in the microrobotics

be able to have access to. To interact with the scientists

studio. The plan was to remove the accelerometer from the

and engineers and for them to know me personally, helped

detector and keep the connection to the main unit via a wire.

remove any stereotypes we had about each other. I am still

However, the software to trigger the sound files was not

in constant contact with some of the CSEM scientists today.

working yet. After learning what to do, I worked on alone on

The connections made with the other artists-in-labs also

the detector and also the design for the apron. During this

proved to be most rewarding.

month, I also conducted interviews with two Croatian and a Bosnian women on their experiences as domestic workers in

Credits

private homes in Switzerland. This resulted in a performance

Max Erick Busse-Grawitz, Jens Krauss, Andreas Schiffler,

at the School of Art and Design in Zurich.

Jill Scott, Ulrich Glaessen

Month five At the beginning of this month, Andreas Schiffler flew from Canada into Zurich and we spent four days successfully making another two aprons, putting all the bought electronics together. Andreas created the software to receive the SMS messages from the mobile phones in the aprons with my laptop. Sound files could then be triggered by the SMS messages. Therefore, I ended up with two aprons, one with mobile phone technology and another one with the CSEM technology. Consequently, I decided to make a presentation of both aprons on 27th October to all the scientists at CSEM

125

BIOGRAPHIES OF WRITERS AND ARTISTS

127

BIOGRAPHIES OF WRITERS AND ARTISTS

'artists-in-labs' Research Team JILL SCOTT is a media artist and Professor for

and director of the DVD documentaries produced within this

Research and Development in the Institute Cultural Studies

Engineering und Optics at the University of Applied Engi-

in Art, Media and Design at the Hochschule für Gestaltung

neering in Munich, Germany. In 1980, she was awarded a

und Kunst (HGKZ) in Zurich. Switzerland. She is leader of the

Masters in Fine Arts in Film at the School of the Art Insti-

artists-in labs research project at the HGKZ and Vice Direc-

tute, Chicago, USA. Since then, she has produced numerous

tor of the Z-Node of the Planetary Collegium, a collaborative

experimental and documentary film works and these films

international Ph.D. program with the University of Plymouth,

(e.g. 'Augenlust') have been shown at international film fes-

UK. Z-Node explores the relationship between design, art,

tivals. Her workshops include documentary video workshops

science and technology on a practical and theoretical level.

in Hyderabad in collaboration with the Max Mueller Bhavan

Jill Scott has written numerous articles in books and cata-

Institute and courses at the University for Television and Film

logues about media art, interactivity and philosophy. Her

in Munich.

project. In 1978, she completed a Degree in Precision Tool

most recent publication 'Coded Characters' (Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2002), covers 28 years of art work. She has exhibited

RENÉ STETTLER is a cultural researcher with many

many video artworks, conceptual performances and interac-

years of national and international experience. He is currently

tive environments in USA, Australia, Europe and Japan. She

a Ph.D. research fellow at the Planetary Collegium, Univer-

has a Degree in Film, Art and Design from Prahran Institute

sity of Plymouth / UK. He was a member of the artists-in-

of Technology, Melbourne, a Masters Degree in Communica-

labs research team in Zurich, Switzerland in 2003 to 2005.

tions from San Francisco State University and a Doctorate in

In 2003, he won an award for his intercultural projects from

Philosophy from the University of Wales, Great Britain. Her

the City and Canton of Lucerne and he was also awarded

teaching experience includes: Lecturer at the University of

the Swiss Art Award 2003. Stettler is the founder and direc-

New South Wales, College of Fine Arts, Australia, Professor

tor of the New Gallery Lucerne, and the Swiss Biennial on

for Computer Animation at Academy of Arts, Saarbrücken,

Science, Technics + Aesthetics, Lucerne, which he founded

Germany and Professor for Installation Design in the Media

in 1995. The New Gallery Lucerne is an institution which is

Faculty at The Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany. Her

supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture and lo-

curatorial experience includes: the Australian Video Festi-

cal cultural institutions of the Canton and the City of Lu-

val, and Project Co-ordinator for the Medienmuseum at the

cerne. It defines itself as a cultural laboratory which aims

Centre for Art and Media Technology (ZKM) in Karlsruhe,

to involve people from all faculties, schools of thought and

Germany. http://www.jillscott.org.

walks of life in a critical dialogue concerned with art, technological innovation, science and society. Former Bien-

MARILLE HAHNE is a filmmaker and Professor of Film

nual Swiss Conferences were Brain-Mind-Culture in 1995,

and co-director of the Swiss National Masters program in

Liquid Visions in 1997, Frontier Communication: Human

Film Directing at the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst

Beings, Apes, Whales, Electronic Networks in 1999, The

(HGKZ) in Zurich. She is a researcher in the field of HDTV

Enigma of Consciousness in 2001, Consciousness and Tele-

digital cinema (http://www.digitalcinema.ch) and in 2005,

portation in 2005. Among many internationally acclaimed

she edited a book entitled 'Digitales Kino - Filmemachen in

speakers at the Swiss Biennial were the British mathemati-

Highdefinition mit Fallstudie' ('Digital Cinema - Filmmaking

cian Sir Roger Penrose, the Austrian quantum physicist Anton

in HD including case studies', http://www.schueren-verlag.

Zeilinger, and the German chaos theorist Otto Rössler. Stet-

de). She specializes in the blend between art, science and

tler currently directs the founding process of the new Swiss

technology and is a free lance editor for text and the kinetic

Foundation for Art and Science.

image. She is the co-founder of the artists-in-labs project

http://www.neugalu.ch/e_index_rene.html

128

BEAT GERBER is head of communications at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen, Switzerland. He was born in

Invited Writers ROGER MALINA is space scientist and astronomer. He

1949 in Berne. In 1973, he received his diploma in civil en-

was the previous Director of the NASA EUVE Observatory at

gineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)

the University of California, Berkeley and previous director

in Zurich and made postgraduate work in energy technol-

of the Laboratoire d‘Astrophysique de Marseille CNRS. He

ogy, sociology and journalism. He worked as an engineer in

is Chairman of the Board of Leonardo/International Society

research & development for 20 years as well as a planner and

for the Arts/Sciences and Technology in San Francisco and

consultant for industry and public authorities. Beat Gerber

President of the sister association Leonardo in Paris. These

was a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Berne

two professional scholarly organisations seek to promote

and a freelance science journalist, before he became a science

and document the work of artists involved in the contem-

editor in Swiss mass media for 10 years (at the daily news-

porary sciences and technology. Malina serves as Executive

paper Tages-Anzeiger, webzine Science & Technology at the

Editor of the Leonardo Publications which for 35 years have

publishing company Swisscontent). Since 2002, he has been

documented the work of artists involved or interested in

at PSI, the largest public research centre in Switzerland, and

space. He is an elected member of the International Academy

he was the main lab partner for the artists-in-labs project. He

of Astronautics, currently serves as vice chair of Commission

also looked after the two artists who were residents at the

VI on Space Activities and Society. At the IAA, he led the

PSI in 2004/2005.

effort to introduce the subject of space activities and the arts into the program of the International Space Congress

PRISKA GISLER studied sociology, modern history,

beginning in 1987 and the establishment of a sub-commit-

social and economic history at the University of Zurich; wrote

tee of the IAA on space activities and the arts. He flew in a

a Ph.D. at the Universities of Berne and Potsdam/Germany.

zero gravity parabolic flight as part of the MIR Zero gravity

She has published books on processes of social closure and

campaign in 2003.

the working of discourses, in gender studies and in science studies, amongst others: 'Sexualität – Macht – Organisa-

EDWARD A. SHANKEN is Professor of Art History

tionen' ('Sexuality - Power - Organisations'); 'Bevölkerung

at the Savannah College of Art & Design. He is editor of a

und eine Prise Politik' ('Population and a Dash of Politics'),

collection of essays by Roy Ascott, entitled Telematic Em-

'Imaginierte Laien. Die Macht der Vorstellung in wissen-

brace: Visionary Theories of Art, Technology and Conscious-

schaftlichen Expertisen' ('Imagined Lay-Persons. The Power

ness (University of California Press, 2003). He has lectured

of Imagination in Scientific Expertise'). From 1998 to 2002

on art and technology at numerous conferences, including

she was a senior researcher in the field of Science Studies at

Einstein Meets Magritte (Brussels), ISEA (Rotterdam), Con-

the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. Recently,

sciousness Reframed (Wales), SIGGRAPH (Los Angeles),

she has been working on a book project (habilitation) with

and Cyberart Bilbao, and delivered the 2004 Rita Friendly

the title 'Shifting Boundaries. Transformations of Knowledge

Kaufman lecture at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre at the

Cultures in the Self-Representations of Research Institutes'

University of Kingston in Ontario, Canada. His essay, 'Art in

at the Collegium Helveticum, ETH Zurich, for which she was

the Information Age: Technology and Conceptual Art' was

also a short-term visiting scholar at the MIT Museum and the

awarded an honourable mention in the Leonardo Award for

STS-Program of MIT. She is also a lecturer at the ETH Zurich

Excellence in 2004. His scholarship has appeared in various

and the HGKZ.

journals, including Leonardo, Art Journal, Art Byte, and Art Criticism, and has been translated into French and Polish. He led the development of innovative curriculum and research at Duke University as Executive Director of the Information

129

BIOGRAPHIES OF WRITERS AND ARTISTS

Science + Information Studies program (2001-4) and was

and Symbols in Indian Art, CIMA, Delhi. 2001; 'Drawing Space'

Director of Visual Research for Reactive Search, Inc. (2000-

a INIVA project, Beconsfield Gallery, London and Angel Row

1), an Internet software company. Dr. Shanken earned his

Gallery Nottingham - Resident Artist 'VAFA' ( Vibhavi Acad-

Ph.D. in Art History from Duke University, his MBA from Yale,

emy of Fine Arts ) Colombo, Srilanka -'10 Years of Sakshi',

and has been awarded fellowships from the National Endow-

Chitrakalaparishat, Bangalore. Other important exhibitions

ment for the Arts, the Centre for Teaching and Learning at

include 'apt3', Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Arts,

Duke University, and the American Council of Learned Socie-

Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia in 1999; Terrain

ties. He is currently editing a selection of essays for Leonardo

Vagues, 'Between Local and the Global', Grandes Galleries,

on 'Artists in Industry and the Academy: Interdisciplinary

Rouen, France; Herbert Read Gallery, Kent, England in 1998;

Research Collaborations', the theme of a panel he chaired at

'40 days & 40 Nights', Art Gallery of New South Wales, Syd-

the College Art Association conference in 2004. He serves

ney; 'Under Fire & Life', Australia India Residency Exchange

as an advisor for Leonardo projects including 'Pioneers and

Program; Vasudev Arnavaz Scholarship in 1993.

Path breakers' and 'Media/Art/History'.

http://www.iniva.org/archive/person/145

Artists in order of appearance: THOMAS ISLER was born in Basel. He studied film

sculptor. Originally she trained in medicine at the University

at the School of Art and Design in Zurich. Since then he has

of Fribourg for one year. She then switched to art and stud-

been an experimental documentary filmmaker and videoar-

ied at the art academy in Prague and at the HGK Lucerne.

tist. He exhibited at Expo 2000 in a project entitled, 'Atelier

She is a member of the performance group 'Labor' and has

Zérodeux' and collaborated on films in Japan and Switzer-

performed in Germany and Switzerland. Her sculptures have

land, He has produced and directed among others the docu-

been exhibited in the Czech Republic (in Prague: Gallery Kri-

mentary feature 'Wanakam' about Tamil refugees in Switzer-

tiku, Gallery Gamin, National Gallery Veltrezni Prague und

land and a film project about 'rezoning' apartments in the

Prague Town Hall), in Croatia (Kastel Luksic), in Finnland

outer suburbs of Zurich. He is interested in the political and

(Sculpture Park Pirkkala), in Germany (Gallery Connecting

social issues of filmmaking and installation as a platform for

Art in Munich, Gallery 'Die Firma' in Nürnberg, Henrike Höhn

new discourses. He has exhibited his installations in a number

Gallery in Berlin) and in Switzerland. Isabel Rohner is the

of Swiss Museums. http://www.swissfilms.ch.

initiator and organizer of the annual interdisciplinary sympo-

ISABEL

ROHNER is a Swiss performance artist and

sium 'Mohren' in Reute, Switzerland.

N.S.

HARSHA lives in Mysore, India. He has been

http://www.symposium-mohren.ch/?Home

involved in a number of international mixed media projects since 1992. Some of his recent selected activities include in

SHIRLEY SOH began her first career in the 1980s in

2003, 'Crossing generations: Diverge', National Gallery of

television journalism producing documentaries at the local

Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, organized by Gallery Chem-

broadcasting station after studying political science and eco-

ould; 'City park', Project Art Space, Dublin, Ireland ; San-

nomics at the Singapore University. In the early 1990s, she

skriti Award, Sanskriti Pratishthan, Delhi ; 'bha bha bha' a

joined the corporate world of publishing and printing, work-

collaborative project with Joan Grounds (Sydney based artist

ing in Sydney and London. In 1997, she attended art school

- an Asia Link Project); 'Enchanting the Icon'. Sakshi Gal-

first in London and then obtained her BA (Fine Art) degree

lery 2002; Fukuoka 2nd Asian Art Triennial, Fukuoka, Japan;

at the Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts based in Singapore. Al-

Working Member, Khoj 2002 International Artist’s Workshop,

though trained in ceramics, Shirley has always featured living

Mysore/Bangalore; AarPar2, India-Pakistan art exchange

vegetation in her work. Interested in issues of biodiversity

project. Mumbai/Karachi, Pakistan; 'Brahma To Bapu' Icons

and ecological interdependency, she has grown rice, weeds

130

and tree seedlings in collaboration with an agronomist for

ANDREW QUINN is a Milano-based computer graphics

various exhibitions. One of her latest work in an exhibition,

artist. He has been working in the field of computer anima-

Convergence of Art, Science and Technology, held at the Sin-

tion for 20 years and exclusively for cinema over the past

gapore Art Museum, dealt with eco-systems and their sus-

10 years. His credits include 'Tomb Raider' ,'The Matrix' and

tainability. Shirley continues to be interested in exploring the

'Nirvana' and many other advertising films. He also works as

conundrums of human subjectivity in the culture-vs-nature

a musician and uses computers to generate 3D soundscapes.

discourse, particularly in relation to the new biotechnological

In 2003, he produced a series of 9 screen surround video

applications from genetic engineering.

and sound installations based on human emotions for the

http://www.witas.org

Tamatete Gallery in Rome. He has also worked with live musicians producing sound reactive video pieces using 3D real-

NIGEL HELYER (a.k.a. Dr Sonique) is a Sculptor and

time graphics. His particular interest is the interplay between

Sound Artist with an international reputation for his large-

computer generated 3D imagery and 3D computer processed

scale sonic installations, environmental sound sculpture

sound. If he’s not doing this stuff, you may catch him at the

works and new media projects. He maintains a strong interest

piano in a piano bar, playing for free drinks.

in collaborative research projects and is currently an honor-

http://andrewquinn.org/

ary associate in Architectural Acoustics at the University of Sydney, an industry research partner at the University of New

CLEA T. WAITE was born in New York City and is

South Wales in the area of Virtual Audio Reality and a Visit-

based in Berlin. She is a Research Artist and Associate

ing Research Fellow in the SymbioticA lab at the University

Professor for Digital and Artistic Montage at the Academy

of Western Australia. Nigel is a co-founder and commissioner

of Film and Television (HFF), Babelsberg, Germany. Waite

of the 'Sound Culture' organisation; a fellow of the Australia

has her Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees from the

Council for 2002/3 and the curator of 'Sonic-Differences' as

Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she studied

part of the Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth 2004.

laser-physics, then did her graduate work in 3D computer

http://www.sonicobjects.com

graphics at the MIT Media Laboratory. Waite’s experiments include computer animation, stereoscopic, multi-chan-

DOMINIK

BASTAINELLO was born in 1963 in

nel video installation, internet-based travel journals, and a

Berne, Switzerland. He studied architecture at the Swiss

recent collaborative work with several hundred tropical spi-

Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) including prac-

ders. She has exhibited and received prizes internationally,

tical training in sculpture workshops. His professional career

including first prize in the Dream Science Œ97 Computer

has been spent working as an architect. From 1993-1994, he

Graphics Grand Prix, Japan, Prix Pixel Ina, Kurzfilmtage

worked abroad in Washington DC, where he also attended

Oberhausen, European Media Art Festival, Siggraph and

sculpture classes at the Corcoran School of Art. In 1998, in

many others. She has been an artist in residence at CERN

Zurich, he began working artistically in spatial experiments,

European Laboratory for Particle Physics, and CICV Pierre

spatial sculptures as well as sculptures 'in gneiss'. His most

Schaeffer, and has received academic and artistic fellowships

important exhibitions to date: 2000/2001 'Raummöbel', SBB

from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Academy

Güterschuppen in Glarus; 2002 Galerie MODO in Winterthur;

of Media Arts Cologne, and the National Endowment for the

2004 'Il mondo secondo...', Videofenster Galerie Römera-

Arts. http://www.khm.de/~clea/works/

potheke in Zurich. His work 'Raummöbel' was awarded grants from various public and private institutions.

TIFFANY HOLMES is a multimedia installation artist.

http://www.bastianello.net

In 'Nosce Te Ipsum' (2000), the viewer dissects a hybrid body composed of media images by walking toward the projec-

131

BIOGRAPHIES OF WRITERS AND ARTISTS

tion. In 'Follow the Mouse' (2001), a real rodent controls the

perimental coding, game-technologies and 'trash hardware

output from the computer while in 'Fishbowl' (2003), a gold-

modeings' as well as generative visual arts. In 1996, he es-

fish monitors the feed from underwater surveillance cam-

tablished the independent art server 'konsum.net' with the

eras. Holmes lectures and exhibits worldwide in these venues:

artist Margarete Jahrmann. Their arts and research work was

J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Digital Salon, Viper in

also presented under other labels, including 'mamax'.net and

Switzerland, Next 1.0 in Sweden, Siggraph 2000, World@rt

'climax.at'. Their collaborative work since 1994 was given

in Denmark, Interaction ’01 in Japan, and ISEA Nagoya ’02.

several awards, such as the interactive arts distinction at Prix

With a BA in art history from Williams College, Holmes re-

Ars Electronica 03, Machinima Academy Award03 in NY and

ceived a MFA in painting from the Maryland Institute College

Software Arts Award at the Transmediale 04 in Berlin. Their

of Art and a MFA in digital arts from the University of Mary-

current projects are exhibited in international workshops and

land. Holmes was awarded a three-year research fellowship at

also in the Sow Games, Computerspiele von Künstlerinnen in

the University of Michigan, an Illinois Arts Council individual

Dortmund, Game.Arts at the Weltkulturerbe Hütte Völklin-

grant and an artists-in-labs residency in Switzerland. A Rock-

gen in 2004 and recently in March 04 at the Art In Motion

efeller fellowship nominee, Holmes is an Assistant Professor

Festival in Los Angeles at the Armory Centre for the Arts.

of Art and Technology at the School of the Art Institute of

http://www.konsum.net

Chicago where she teaches courses in interactivity and the history of electronic media. http://www.tiffanyholmes.com

ADRIANNE

WORTZEL is a Professor for Commu-

nication Design at New York City College of Technology,

AXEL VOGELSANG was born in Germany and lives in

CUNY. Here she is a lecturer in the Instructional Technology

the UK. After some early 1980s courses in computer pro-

Program of the CUNY Graduate Centre, and an Adjunct

gramming on Commodore and Atari, he has had some 20-

Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Cooper Union for

year-career of working with computers. Currently, he is a

the Advancement of Science and Art where she is also the

Ph.D. candidate at the College of Art and Design at Central

Director of StudioBlue, a telerobotic lab. http://artnetweb.

St. Martins, London. His dissertation is about the architec-

com/wortzel.

ture of human computer interaction. In between theoretical work, he has worked as a typesetter, journalist, art director,

MARGARET TAN is a practicing artist working with a

web designer, college teacher, and artist.

wide range of media. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award in her Bachelor of Fine Arts Pro-

MARGARETE JAHRMANN was born in 1967 and lives

gramme, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology/Lasalle-

in Vienna and Zurich where she is Professor for New Media at

SIA College of the Arts. From September 2001 to January

the Department of Media and Art, School of Art and Design

2002, she was Artist-in-Residence with the Cyberarts and

Zurich. Her focus is games, code modification and software

Cyberculture Initiative, University Scholars Programme, Na-

scenarios. She positions herself inside the discourse of the

tional University of Singapore. She has exhibited actively in

mediated artwork, and this aspect creates the theoretical

Singapore as well as internationally, including ISEA (Orai)

framework for her collaborative works. These works include

2002 in Nagoya, From My Fingers in Kaoshiung Museum

coded cultures and the mise-en-scene of artefacts and 'ob-

of Fine Arts Taipei, 180KG in Yogyakarta and Little Bundles

jectiles' in the arts and research context. http://www.kon-

in Manila. Working from a feminist perspective, Margaret is

sum.net

interested in the intersections of body with space, technology and culture, embodiment and identity. She has received

MAX MOSWITZER was born 1968 and lives in Vienna

a Chen Chong Swee Arts Scholarship, National Arts Council

where he is a part-time lecturer in media art at the Univer-

and an MA in Interactive Media from Goldsmiths College,

sity of Applied Sciences and Arts Zurich. His focus is ex-

University of London.

132

DVD AND ANALYSES

133

RESEARCH MODE: DOCUMENTARY FILM AS RESEARCH ANALYSES Marille Hahne

One might wonder why our artists-in-labs research team

not be clearly separated from strategies of narrative or the fas-

chose film as a final document for this project. As a docu-

cination of fiction, but Nichols tries to define distinct claims

mentary filmmaker, I was happy to direct this form of docu-

about the form of documentary filmmaking and the approach

mentation in order to explore how products and situations

towards the real or historical worlds through these modes.

created by research projects could be validated by film. Art

The first of these modes is the 'Expository Mode', in which

and science is a new level of creative inquiry and as we live

the director concentrates on the exposure of information in

in an era of televised reality, it made a great deal of sense

the respective environment and often uses a commentary in

to present our results to the tele-visual literate audience of

order to formulate his or her often didactic statements

today.

(i.g. Atomic Café).3 The second is the 'Observatory Mode', which is similar to surveillance and minimizes the filmmaker’s

The enclosed DVD is not only based on questionnaires de-

presence (i.e. Fred Wiseman films 4). This documentary strat-

signed by social scientists who are familiar with research, but

egy has the advantages of catching the more unusual behav-

the results constitute a novel approach to research projects

iour and situations. 'Interactive Mode', the third category,

in the art and design school context. Indeed, in this edu-

requires the interviewer to guide the questions and discover

cational context the concept of 'artists as researchers' is a

insider information. (An interviewer like the US filmmaker

controversial and uncongenial subject. Therefore, more crea-

Michael Moore focuses on this third mode.5) The fourth ap-

tive approaches to research results, ones which utilize our

proach is reflective and contributes to the process of making

own art school educational and communication skills, could

evident the actual narrative ('Reflective Mode'). I would like

be applicable and appealing.

to suggest a new category, which I would like to call 'The Research Mode'.

As suggested by social scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, both similar and specific questions

'The Research Mode' should assure the collection of robust

were presented for each of the 12 artists-in-labs projects.1

and systematic relevant research results and conclusions that

These questions were asked in four different interview set-

are traceable for others. This does not imply an absolutely

ups: (1) to the artist alone, (2) to the collaborating scientist

rigid format during the interview situation, but it should

alone, (3) to the artist and the lab director together, and (4)

allow for adaptation and reflection while following the deter-

to the director of each lab. Comparative interviews took place

mined research plan.The value of this mode in the documen-

at the beginning of the residencies and again at the end. The

taries on the DVD is that it can allow for the following:

discussions, potentials and levels of the artists-in-labs collaboration were given priority. The written reports by the

1. The editing process can become a comparative process,

artists contained in this book as well as the actual reports

which helps to better reveal agreements and disagreements

from the Lab Directors, were used as references throughout

2. Similar answers can substitute the voice of the interviewer

the editing process. The questions were based on motivation,

yet retain the same level of inquiry

learning, collaboration, exchange, understanding, creative

3. The environment can be shown in a clear light by juxta-

input, context analysis and know-how transfer. By focusing

posing voice over with counteractive image

on these topics and issues about access, process, influences

4. The gestures and ways of expression reveal connotations

and traces become apparent. (See list of questions below).

which add to the analyses 5. The interactive DVD navigation allows for an accessible

According to Bill Nichols documentary film strategies can be

comparison between the results of the artists who were

divided into four modes of representations, which might be

placed in different scientific disciplines

2

relevant for research methodologies. These four modes can-

134

6. The film documents can be easily studied by other researchers.

Consequently, I hope that our efforts are inspiring, not

2. Interview with the scientist or scientific collaborator alone

only for other filmmakers, but also for those who wish to document other complex research projects using Research

Motivation:

Mode in the future.

What were your original reasons and motivations to participate in the artists-in-labs project?

Below is a sample of the research questions used for our ana-

What kind of expectations did you have and have they been

lytical documentary approach.

met?

1. Interviews with the artist alone

The artists-in-labs project at your institute: Can you give some examples of how you have been in-

Motivation:

volved?

What were your original reasons and motivations to apply for the artists-in-labs-award and did you have to change or shift

Personal experiences in detail -

these over the months?

collaboration, communication, exchange:

Have your personal expectations been met or not? Could you

What kinds of collaboration with the artist did you experi-

give us some examples, please?

ence? How did the people in your lab react to having an artist in

Your project:

the lab?

Can you now personally summarize your project of the last

Could you give us some examples?

months here in the lab/the institute in two sentences? What were the most important learning experiences during the last

Artistic influences on the scientific environment:

months which have affected you personally?

Did you promote/talk about the project to the rest of your staff and/or your colleagues and what kind of reactions did

Personal experiences in detail -

you get?

collaboration, communication, exchange

Will the artist leave any traces in the institute/the lab when

What kinds of collaboration with scientists did you experi-

he/she is gone?

ence, with whom and how intensive was your exchange? Could you give us some examples of what you experienced

All the questions for (3) the Lab Directors alone and (4) the

personally?

artist and lab director together are not listed here. They were

Did the style of communication fulfil your expectations?

based on motivation, the reasons why they participated and

Was it difficult for you to understand the scientists?

communication, the other reactions from scientists and their

How did the people in your lab react to your creative input

levels of involvement. Other questions included: knowledge

or your reactions?

transfer; for example, how much did the artist‘s learn about

Did this include any critical or ethical statements?

science and vice versa. The labs directors were also asked

How important was the exchange with other artists in the

about the future potentials of projects like the artists-in-labs

artists-in-labs project?

program. 1

Knowledge Production: How has your art work been influenced by this new working environment here? Can you describe your working methods?

I want to thank my colleague Priska Gisler in this respect. Nichols, B. (1991). Representing Reality, Pub.Indiana Press 3 'Atomic Café' (1982) directed by Jayne Loader, Kevin Rafferty und Pierce Raffery, USA, 88 min 4 see: http://townsendcenter.berkeley.edu/una_wiseman_bio.shtml 5 see: http://www.michaelmoore.com/ 2

135

CONTENTS: DVD ARTISTS-IN-LABS FILMS DVD VIDEO PAL STANDARD PLAYABLE ON MAC, PC OR MULTICODE DVD PLAYERS.

Labs und Artists Life Sciences CENTRE FOR BIOSAFETY & SUSTAINABILITY, BASEL

_SHIRLEY SOH (10.0 min) INSTITUTE FOR GEOBOTANICS, ZURICH

_THOMAS ISLER (13.5 min) CENTRE FOR MICROSCOPY, BASEL

_N.S. HARSHA (10.5 min) _ISABEL ROHNER (13.0 min) Physics PLANETARIUM, SWISS MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT LUCERNE

_ANDREW QUINN & CLEA T. WAITE (11.5 min) PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTE VILLIGEN

_DOMINIK BASTIANELLO ( 9.5 min) _NIGEL HELYER (10.5 min) Computing & Engineering INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB, ZURICH

_MARGARETE JAHRMANN & MAX MOSWITZER (11.0 min) _ADRIANNE WORTZEL (11.5 min) SWISS CENTRE FOR ELECTRONICS AND MICROTECHNOLOGY, ALPNACH

_MARGARET TAN (12 min) COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY, ZURICH

_TIFFANY HOLMES (10.0 min) INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS, GLOBIS, ZURICH

_AXEL VOGELSANG (12.0 min)

Overview _THE ARTISTS-IN-LABS PROJECT (12.5 min)

Credits MARILLE HAHNE

DIRECTOR CAMERA

THOMAS ISLER

EDITORS OFF-LINE EDITOR ON-LINE

THOMAS GERBER, MARILLE HAHNE, THOMAS ISLER

THOMAS GERBER

SOUNDMIX

GREGG SKERMAN

SUBTITLES

MARILLE HAHNE

DVD AUTHORING PRODUCER

RONNIE WAHLI

© 2006 JILL SCOTT

ALL FILMS ARE FOR ENGLISH OR GERMAN AUDIENCES WITH SELECTABLE SUBTITLES.

136