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CUTTING EDGE : LASERS AND CREATIVITY
One-day symposium at Loughborough University exploring lasers in Art &
Design and their contribution to making artefacts
Date : 4 November 2009
Organisers : Kerry Walton and Janette Matthews in collaboration with the
Textile Research Group and the Drawing Research Group
Venue : Loughborough University School of Art and Design, Loughborough, UK
Contact : [log in to unmask]
Information : http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ac/mainpages/research.htm
FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS AND ELECTRONIC POSTERS
Laser processing of metals, acrylics, wood, textiles and other materials is a
well-known industrial process for cutting and marking. Equipment is becoming
more accessible and even commonplace in academic institutions for use by Art
& Design and Design Technology departments. As is often the case with
emerging technologies, there is a requirement for the potential to be fully
understood before the process can be exploited. A number of practitioners,
designers and technologists are involved in exciting work that moves the laser
process beyond just a cut or a mark in a material. This one-day symposium
will explore the laser process in Art & Design and the relationship of
practitioners to the technology.
Through a series of illustrated presentations and panel discussions by leading
artists, designers, researchers and technologists, it will show how the process
is being exploited through innovative practice and demonstrate that laser
processing is more than a means of cutting. The relationship between laser
technology and its impact on underlying practice will be questioned.
Advances and emerging trends in the development of laser technology and the
consequent impact on practice will be explored through the following enquiry:-
• Lasers are used for both speed and repetition and as creative tools
for experimentation. What methods and approaches enable experimentation
and result in innovation?
• Lasers can enable transferability of art work between a variety of
materials. How is this best achieved and what are the potential opportunities
and limitations of this approach in terms of design quality and practicalities?
• Working with lasers creates a physical distance between the
artist/designer and the artwork/design. What affect, if any, does this have on
the sensibility of the final piece? How does this compare with other automated
devices used in art and design for example other digital technologies such as
printing? How is this 'distance' exploited or mitigated in the creative process?
• Does software mediate this distance between the artist/designer and
the artwork/design in laser work? How central is the creative use of software
to innovate design/art that employs lasers?
• Laser operating procedures are necessarily 'safe', again creating a
physical distance from the cutting/marking process. How can happy accidents
be encouraged/facilitated in such situations? Or are the safety procedures
enabling?
• To what extent does knowledge of materials science and/or the
fundamentals behind laser processing inform creative work? If so, is it
necessary to learn individually by trial and error? Would a designer
friendly 'handbook' be useful? Do different approaches result in different
outcomes facilitating creativity?
• What are the advantages of lasers over other cutting and marking
technologies? What new opportunities do they afford beyond speed and
repetition?
• Relevant to art and design, what other opportunities exist beyond
cutting and marking in regard to laser technologies? How do practitioners
become aware of these technologies in sufficient detail to exploit them and
explore at the boundary edges?
We invite contributions from both practitioners and researchers from different
disciplines to respond to these questions.
SUBMISSIONS
Contributions to the symposium may be made in the form of academic papers
and/or illustrated presentations. There is also the opportunity for the
submission of 3 minute rolling PowerPoint presentations.
We are now inviting the submission of abstracts in response to the above
questions. Abstracts of 250-400 words (excluding references) and up to
three images may be submitted for :
• Papers from researchers
• Illustrated presentations from practitioners
• 3 minute rolling PowerPoint electronic posters from emerging and
established researchers and practitioners.
Submissions which do not address at least one of the symposium questions will
not be considered. Although it is expected that authors will participate in the
symposium in person, we welcome electronic poster submissions from
practitioners and researchers not resident in the UK.
Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit full papers or
presentations. Abstracts should be sent as plain text and images must not
exceed 1MB in size in total. Submissions should be sent via email to
[log in to unmask]
The symposium will be documented to provide a record of the day and
potentially published in an ISSN/IBSN format.
IMPORTANT DATES
8 April 2009 Submission of abstracts open
30 June 2009 Submission of abstracts ends
30 July 2009 Notification of acceptance of papers
and presentations
30 September 2009 Submission of full papers and
presentations
4 November 2009 Conference
Kerry Walton
Programme Leader – Textiles
email : [log in to unmask]
tel : +44 (0)1509 228935
Janette Matthews
PhD Research
email: [log in to unmask]
tel: +44 (0)1509 227594
School of Art and Design
Loughborough University
Loughborough
LE11 3TU
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