Stephen Wilson

Artists Patrolling the Frontiers of Research

Lecture given at the symposium “Ohne Schnur - No Cord”

Prof. Stephen Wilson

Prof. Stephen Wilson

netzspannung.org

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Abstract

Technological and scientific research has become a pivotal center of cultural innovation. Based on research for his book, Information Arts: Intersections of Art, Science and Technology (MIT Press, 2002), Professor Wilson presents a description and analysis of a new approach artists are taking to research in which they become independent researchers and innovators instead of just users of the gadgets provided by the research world. Wilson surveys examples of artists working in areas such as biology, physics, robotics, and new interfaces and identifies the challenges and opportunities confronting the artist/researcher.
He focuses especially on telecommunications and wireless communication, analyzing the cultural issues that underlie the interest in wireless such as curiosity about the Other, wanderlust, domination, surveillance, and the will to transcend the limitations of the body and space. He surveys historical and contemporary examples of artists working with telecommunications/wireless and identifies areas of emerging technological research in this field likely to be important in the future such as telepresence, GPS location based services, wi-fi wireless 4G data services, autonomous flying vehicles, remote video, and ubiquitous computing. He provides speculation about likely future developments in the arts.

Artists / Authors

Date(s)

Organizer

Institute of Art History of Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU), Munich, Germany

Contact

info@ohne-schnur.de

Location

Cuxhavener Kunstverein, Große Hardewiek 35, 27472 Cuxhaven, Germany

URL

» http://www.ohne-schnur.de

Submission

, Jul 27, 2004

Category

Keywords