Which side of the fence are you on? Art? Science and
technology? It is time to tear down the fence, if we dare, or at least to rip a
few sizeable holes in it. Differences exist between science and art, certainly,
or the two words would be useless. Perhaps the thoughts that follow will make
the boundaries between the two disciplines appear fuzzier, however. Maybe those
boundaries already are fuzzy, and we see them as solid in order to
maintain a sense of security in a chaotic world - like the way our brain
automatically fills in the blind spots (caused by the lack of sensory cells
where the optic nerves meet their respective retinas) in our field of vision
with what "should be there." Are we ready to release time honored,
security-generating distinctions and begin to acknowledge the holistic function
of human cognition? Many artists and scientists have already done so. Does the
"fence" actually exist, after all?
Imagine
the almond-shaped entity produced when two circles overlap partially. In
mathematics, this entity is the shared set of a Venn diagram. It is the mandorla
of medieval Christianity and Jungian psychology, i.e., the region shared by
seemingly separate, even antagonistic concepts. An examination of the territory
shared between the arts and the sciences may provide the common ground necessary
for developing a more integrated and functional perspective. What
characteristics do these two apparently polemic disciplines share? The
art/science mandorla might include aspects of the following:
analysis
observation
use of specialized tools, including a distinctive
lexicon
reliance on a process of discovery
openness to novel phenomena
imaginative leaps of intuition
creativity and play (with materials, ideas,
phenomena, and experience)
experimentation ("what if...?"
thinking)
collaboration, historical context, and a sense of
community (e.g., "If I have seen further it is by standing on the
shoulders of giants." - Sir Isaac Newton)
publication, practicality and/or reference to
external, subjective evaluation
an appreciation of elegance and the sublime (an
aesthetic sense, i.e., a regard for beauty in forms and/or ideas).
Both science and art enable us to see more deeply
into the mystery of existence. They remind us, in their own distinctive ways, of
where we really are. Perhaps, then, their greatest similarity is that they are
both means of furthering our personal awareness, of expanding consciousness. The
following poem could refer to either an artist or a scientist:
Writer and painter Henry Miller had this to say, "All
art, I firmly believe, will one day disappear. But the artist will remain, and
life itself will become not an art, but art ..." (1941. Wisdom
of the heart. p. 24). Does "life itself" include the sciences?
Does "art" live in the creative, innovative, introspective, and
conscious progress demanded of engaged individuals by the interdisciplinary
blending process itself?
In The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution,
C. P. Snow said, "This polarisation [of scientists and artists] is sheer
loss to us all. To us as people, and to our society. It is at the same time
practical and intellectual and creative loss..." (1961, p. 12). I would
only add that the disconnection may represent a spiritual and visionary loss as
well. That is, if art and science are viewed entirely as separate phenomena, and
if they continue to be disassociated in our daily thoughts and activities, then
a crucial circle in our lives remains unmended.
Fortunately, many forward-thinking individuals are
currently immersed in the active integration of the arts and sciences, and many
of those projects can be explored via their web sites through zenzibar.com.
Here are a few sites exploring this
subject:
ASCI
- Founded in 1988, Art & Science Collaborations, Inc. (ASCI)
is one of the few art & technology members organizations in
the USA.
Emergent
Systems - My interactive installations
look to the intersection between natural and technological systems. Integration
of organic and electro/mechanical elements assert a confluence and co-evolution
between living and evolving technological systems.
Mindship
International - A non-profit
organization that creates opportunities for collaboration between artists and
scientists. Our participants are from many countries. Our goal is to encourage
projects, studies and works of art and publications by artists and scientists
working together, and to present these to the public.
MkzdK
- A difficult to categorize site that is full of art, poetry, commentary on
science and spirituality and is beautiful to browse through.
