The workshop will deal with a number of aspects of Transdisciplinarity in relation to art and culture. It will begin with a formal presentation and in the following session we will try to understand the nature of transdisciplinarity, its problems and processes in a series of session which will become progressively led by the participants. The materials and themes for the workshop will be informed by issues arising from the interaction of art, science and technology at the turn of the nineteenth century and set a framework for dealing with pressing issues in art, design, media philosophy and anthropology, creativity and research. The topics are indicative and the preparation is intended to provide us all with a common set of references in order to facilitate exchanges. Please print or copy to a USB any images that you find that may be useful for each session so that we may share them and work collaboratively.
This presentation will show how transdisciplinarity can impact on our understanding of the relationship between science, technology and popular culture. (This will be an image rich formal presentation with opportunity for questions afterwards)
In this session we will look at the research at Transtechnology Researcher as a case study and discuss the researchers topics and concerns. We will also touch on the TEF Hera project and the INTR network project. (preparation see: www.trans-techresearch.net and associated sites and familiarise yourself with these projects)
Using the case of early cinema and the problems that it has posed for historians and practitioners of new media art this presentation will discuss some examples of early film and how transdisciplinary approaches can open up some hitherto difficult questions about old and new media. There will be a short presentation followed by a discussion. (preparation: please bring images or examples of early and pre-cinema technologies)
This session will consider the dimension of the semi material that opens up in Transdisciplinary research. It will ask practical questions about the processes and practices of knowledge transfer and their representation as material certainties. There will be a short presentation followed by a discussion.
Preparation: please familiarise your self with ’s Mnemosyne Atlas e.g.
This session will be an open discussion to apply some of our thinking to contemporary problems in which disciplinary constraints may be inhibiting the identification of new concerns and topics. We will deal with the topics of situated action, craft skills and translation in relation to transdisciplinarity as a practice. Participants will be invited to give a response the workshop relative to their own particular contexts and issues.
Professor dr. Michael Punt, BA, MA, PhD, ILT
Transtechnology Research,
University of Plymouth,
Drake Circus,
Plymouth,
PL4 8AA.
mpunt@plymouth.ac.uk
michael.punt@plymouth.ac.uk
Professor of Art and Technology, University of Plymouth
Editor-in-Chief, Leonardo Reviews
Director, Transtechnology Research
Michael Punt is a Professor of Art and Technology at the University of Plymouth. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Leonardo Reviews which publishes in excess of 200 reviews a year on art, science and technology. Between 1969 and1994 he had over one hundred exhibitions of his work including one-person shows, and has made 15 films. He gained his PhD at the University of Amsterdam (Early Cinema and the Technological Imaginary, 2000, available at http://dare.uva.nl/document/100064) and has jointly produced two books.
More at: http://trans-techresearch.net/researchers/michael-punt
Transtechnology Research is a transdisciplinary research group situated in the Faculty of Arts. Its constituency is drawn from historians, philosophers, anthropologists, artists and designers and is led from a historical and theoretical perspective with the objective of understanding science and technology as a manifestation of a range of human desires and cultural imperatives. Its aim is to provide a doctoral and post-doctoral environment for researchers who need to undertake academic research informed by their own and others creative practice. Its overarching research project concerns the philosophical aspects of science and technology and the history of popular arts.
More at: http://trans-techresearch.net/