In recent years, collaborations between artists and scientists have increasingly become a feature of the cultural landscape. Over the past years, a hybrid set of research-based or experimentally-driven initiatives have emerged where artists and scientists work together to explore the creative possibilities and producing many exciting projects. Such interdisciplinary initiatives are observed as a trend in future education and research.
In the final edition of the Art x Science Dialogues series, we will introduce the interdisciplinary initiatives from the two top Swiss universities – ETH Zurich and École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), as well as the art-science practices of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) from China. We will invite Prof. Sarah Kenderdine, Director of Laboratory for Experimental Museology (eM+) & ArtLab EPFL, Ms. Maximiliane Okonnek, Managing Director of ETH Library Lab, and Prof. Zhijie Qiu, Dean of the School of Experimental Art of CAFA for a collaborative discussion on the opportunities and challenges in building up such initiatives. We are also trying to explore long term communication as well as collaboration systems within art and science through the dialogue.
Art x Science Dialogues is a new webinar series initiated by Swissnex in China in 2020. It will take place once per month from May to August via Zoom, covering topics of Design x Materials Science, Sonic Arts x Neuroscience, Photography x Environmental Ecology, and New interdisciplinary Initiatives.
(eM+)
Event Rundown
16:00 Webinar Starts
16:00-16:05 Opening Remarks
(Ms. Cissy Sun – Head of Art-Science at Swissnex in China)
16:05-16:20 Presentation
(Prof. Sarah Kenderdine – Director of Laboratory for Experimental Museology (eM+) & ArtLab EPFL)
16:20-16:35 Presentation
(Ms. Maximiliane Okonnek – Managing Director of ETH Library Lab)
16:35-16:50 Presentation
( Prof. Zhijie Qiu – Dean of the School of Experimental Art of CAFA)
16:50-17:10 Discussion | Q & A
Speakers
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Bio
Prof. Sarah Kenderdine
Director of Laboratory for Experimental Museology (eM+) & ArtLab EPFLSarah Kenderdine researches at the forefront of interactive and immersive experiences for galleries, libraries, archives and museums. In widely exhibited installation works, she has amalgamated cultural heritage with new media art practice, especially in the realms of interactive cinema, augmented reality and embodied narrative. In 2017, Sarah was appointed Professor of Digital Museology at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where she has built a Laboratory for Experimental Museology (eM+). She is also director and lead curator of EPFL’s new art/science initiative ArtLab, located in a seminal Kengo Kumar building, inaugurated in 2016.
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Bio
Ms. Maximiliane Okonnek
Managing Director of ETH Library LabMaximiliane is a dedicated innovation and technology strategist with long-standing expertise in project development, building digital products and coordinating innovation and cooperation projects. She is passionate about building and leveraging innovation ecosystems in order to accelerate digital transformation in the public sphere. Maximiliane studied Japanese Studies and Management & Economics at University of Zurich (Switzerland) and Doshisha University, Kyoto (Japan). Later she also received a MSc in Digital Media Management from Steinbeis School of Management and Innovation, Berlin (Germany).
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Bio
Prof. Zhijie Qiu
Dean of the School of Experimental Art of CAFABorn in 1969 in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, China, Qiu Zhijie is a leading figure in conceptual art and new media. The artist, writer, curator, and teacher has earned critical recognition worldwide for his concept and practice of “total art,” which forges new cultural meaning from various philosophies and systems of thought from anytime, anywhere. He graduated from the Department of Printmaking at the Zhejiang Academy of Arts (now China Academy of Art), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, in 1992, and was instrumental in developing its Department of Intermedia Arts, where he is a professor. Since 2016, Qiu has served as dean of the School of Experimental Art, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing.
