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Put simply, Brookıs argument suggests repatriating creativity to everyone and the de-professionalisation of the role of the artist. Iıd vote for that (but I have always been a turkey when it comes to Christmas). Best Simon Simon Biggs Research Professor edinburgh college of art [log in to unmask] www.eca.ac.uk Creative Interdisciplinary Research into CoLlaborative Environments CIRCLE research group www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ [log in to unmask] www.littlepig.org.uk AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk From: Simon Ellis <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: Simon Ellis <[log in to unmask]> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 21:06:57 +0000 To: <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: [NEW-MEDIA-CURATING] overcoming token science and the new media ghetto Hi Melinda et al I've been reminded of a recent blog post by Lucas Ihlein in which he discusses Donald Brook's *The Awful Truth About What Art Is*. I'm interested in the way in which Brook's 'definition' of art dissolves the spaces between disciplines, and also takes it away from being the exclusive domain of artists. I hope Lucas doesn't mind my very long quote of his writing... From http://www.lucazoid.com/bilateral/brooks-way-with-kinds-categories-and-memes /(retreived 19 October 2009): "For Brook, art is at play whenever a revelatory experience opens us up to new ways of being in the world. This may inspire awe, it may create fear or pleasure or disgust. In any case, art is present at moments of revelation or epiphany, when the world is seen in a genuinely new light. What is alluring about this approach (remarkably akin to the pragmatist aesthetics of John Dewey and his followers, although Brook does not acknowledge the connection) is that art can be an integral part of all spheres of human endeavour: not just actions by artists in the artworld. This notion acknowledges something that is already instinctually felt in everyday life, embodied, for example, in the use of the word in describing such Oartsı as cooking, motorcycle maintenance, or jewellery theft. Art is a way of knowing the world through skillful material interactions. Furthermore, beyond such artisanal applications, Brook emphasises the creative and lateral leaps of faith that can occur unexpectedly in any field, when the surprising results of oneıs toil yield new insights. By carefully unpicking the terms Oartı and Owork of artı, Brook moves us beyond the limitations of demarcational thinking embodied in an Oeither/orı construction (either something is a work of art or it is not), and towards a more inclusive Oand/alsoı position. Art, he writes, is not the success or failure of a crafted attempt to achieve a desired outcome in the world, but the revelation or insight such success or failure may generate." Also, this thread is pretty good evidence of just how useful Google Wave might be for online conversations. Best Simon Ellis www.skellis.net On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 23:59, Melinda Rackham <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > hey Roger and list! > > for me the first approach has always been moving this sort of work into the > public arena- working in hospitals, research labs, engineering, > astrophysics, dance, nano tech etc, city wide festivals that hold free > events attended by diverse publics. when i was at ANAT initially planning > the Superhuman events, the driving concept of the Curatorial Masterclass > was to engage with and educate mainstream arts curators and writers so that > this work easily slipps into the public consciousness, becomes part of > common experience and s an expected/respected form of cultural engagement. > > but in hindsight i wonder does "art", passively sitting in major public > gallery contexts, have any immediate lasting impact - i'm planning to go to > the copenhagen climate change shows in december - how many world decision > makers went to openings, sipped wine, had an awakening experience that > challenged them to rethink their perspectives? or does the exposure to new > perspectives subtlety wash away at a lower level, building to a momentum in > society as a whole? does work that is scientifically rigorous always make > the best art? climate change may hit a fashionable peak, but will curators > and institutions desert it when the next wave of popularity comes along? > > currently i'm working on a project which is giving me a new understanding > the importance of moving art~science into small communities where it is not > just an elitist concept, but actually provides practical applications which > enhance everyday life and address everyday issues - The Avoca Project in > regional Victoria, provides an accessible interface on an intimate, domestic > and community level, as well as to an art audience in a place that is > profoundly affected by climate change issues.. this project is set up to > evolve over 10 years and slowly builds new potentialities and practicalities > involving many fields of art, technology, science and academic collaborative > research. > http://www.avocaproject.org/ > http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=184126442570 > > many things planned... money to be sought :) > looking fwd to seeing many of you in Melbourne! > > warm regards, > Melinda > > Melinda Rackham (PhD) Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC009201