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Curtin University of Technology
John Curtin Gallery

Public Lectures, Forums and Artist Floor Talks

All events are free unless otherwise stated

Sunday@Curtin dates:
7, 14, 21 & 28 February, 28 March and 18 April, 1-4pm


 


Wednesday 24 March
12:30pm
Pernille Leth-Espensen, PhD fellow, MA, Department of Aesthetic Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark, currently undertaking a residency at SymbioticA - The Centre of Excellence, UWA, until mid May.

"The Technological Sublime: Art, Mediation and Technoscience"


Pernille is an art historian who lectures on, amongst other things, philosophy of science. She will discuss the artworks in the art in the age of nanotechnology exhibition from perspectives of art theory, aesthetics, and philosophy of science and technology.



Wednesday 31 March
12:30pm
Eric Bakker, Professor of Nanochemistry Resources and Chemistry Precinct, Curtin University


"The art of seeing: from the dark age to the nanoscale"
This talk will recall how humans have historically perceived the mechanism of seeing. The incredible complexity and elegance of the human visual system, perfectly matched to the output of the sun, using molecular receptors that are only turned on when they are in use, will be outlined. The mechanism of vision is then used to explain why we cannot possibly see things that are on the nanometer scale. Today it is possible to use other means to see the nanoworld, which formed the basis for the rise of nanotechnology as we know it.


 

Sunday 21 February
2:00pm
Jennifer Millar

Imagine being able swim through a capillary with red blood cells, and wander around on the top of a computer chip. Imagine being no taller than one nanometre- that is, one billionth of a metre in height. Our ability to visualise the nanoscale is providing new and exciting information about worlds previously unexplored. This information is influencing our lives and our futures. Nanoart and interactive nano installations provide us with the opportunity to directly experience the nano world, so as to better understand it.

Hans Danzebrink image

German scientist Dr Hans Danzebrink has created engaging and exciting nanoart, including an interactive installation which enables us to enter and discover the nano world. This is realized in a virtual environment created from real measurement data. By using different interfaces, such as a Wii remote control, the user can easily and interactively control their journey through the small dimensions of micro and nano-structures.

His work will be presented by Jennifer Millar, a Curtin University graduate with First Class Honours in Nanotechnology.

 

 

 


 

Wednesday 17 February
1:00pm
Ajahn Brahm 

Please join us as Ajahn Brahm, Abbot of the Bodhinyana Monastry in Serpentine and the spiritual director of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia gives us his response to art in the age of nanothechnology.

This is a free lunchtime event, everyone is welcome.

Vesna_mandalaimage
Nanomandala by Victoria Vesna in collaboration with nanoscientist James Gimzewski and Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Gaden Lhopa Khangsten monastery, 2003, installation detail from Victoria Vesna's website www.nano.arts.ucla.edu


 

Symposium
strange futures: collaborations that make nano-art
Sunday 7 February 2010
10am until 4pm

RSVP essential - please call 92664155 or email gallery@curtin.edu.au to secure your place.
Please note that Cafe Ambrosia will be open all day.

 

Thomas/Raxworthy image
Paul Thomas in collaboration with Kevin Raxworthy, Nanoessence, 2009, screen capture

 

art in the age of nanotechnology features a series of collaborative projects designed to challenge, explore and critique our understanding of the material world. The exhibition brings together artists and scientists from the around the world to present new ways of seeing, sensing and connecting with matter that's miniscule and abstract.
Through the demanding research and subtle refinement of nanotechnology, our understanding of scale is brought to the edges of our imagination, setting up opportunities and challenges for artistic intervention; new ways of expression and aesthetic approaches; a new way of experiencing the abstract.


The John Curtin Gallery and the Centre for Research in Art, Science and Humanity will co-host this symposium as part of their development of art and science projects at Curtin University. The Centre is a facility for creative research in art and science hosted by the School of Design and Art. It aims to act as a network hub - engaging artists, researchers and scientists in a wide range of regional, national and international contexts. Through this symposium, invited artists and scientists will discuss interdisciplinary collaborations, their research and projects; uncovering their understanding of how nano-art affects our perception of the material world.
The artists and scientists in art in the age of nanotechnology speculate and explore the 'nano world' in an attempt to reconfigure our understanding of the physical world and help make accessible concepts of what the future may hold.

Keynote speaker: Colin Milburn, Associate Professor of English, University of California, Davis and author of numerous books including Engineering the Future (2008).
Speakers: Professor Eric Bakker, Director, Nanochemistry Research Unit, Curtin University; Mr Oron Catts, Artistic Director, Symbiotica, University of Western Australia; Ms Boo Chapple, participating artist, currently undertaking MFA at Stanford University, USA; Mr Mike Phillips, Reader in Digital Art & Technology, University of Plymouth, School of Computing, Communications & Electronics and participating artist; Dr Christa Sommerer & Dr Laurent Mignonneau, University Professors, University of Arts and Industrial Design, Linz, Austria and participating artists; Dr Paul Thomas, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Studio of Electronic Arts, School of Design and Art, Curtin University and participating artist; Mark Woffenden, Executive Director, Resource & Chemistry Precinct, Curtin University.

click here for full program details: symposium program


 

 


stay tuned for other events and Public Program details

 

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