Panel Proposal

This panel will examine how human aesthetics as we acknowledge it today, experiences a shift with the development of software, robotics and artificial intelligence.

Aesthetics has always been linked with the human’s ability to feel emotions. Thus, can we consider aesthetics as something that is only related to the “human sphere”? If not, how do we frame it in a post-human, hyper-technologized society?

Within the context of contemporary art, we will discuss the possibility of aesthetics outside of an object-oriented discourse. And consider the existence of an immaterialized aesthetic of data offering a new format to work with reality.

We will also try to understand to what extent robots, Ai software, and algorithms will be able to create something that is entirely new.

Hence, ask if it is possible to consider technology as unlinked from the human, the organic?

Panelist

Alain Servais (Moderator)
Among the first collectors of digital art, Alain Servais has built up a highly versatile and forward-looking contemporary art collection. Alain is actively engaged in the issues of the art industry and market through writing, social networking and other initiatives. Additionally, he supports young artists through a residency program in his loft in Brussels, where he also keeps his collection.

Ahmed Elgammal
Founder and Director of the Art and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Rutgers University, New Jersey. The lab was formed five years ago and works on aspects of perception and cognition related to human creativity in order to develop artificial intelligence.
Prof Elgammal has published over 140 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and books in the fields of computer vision, machine learning and digital humanities. Dr Elgammal recent research on knowledge discovery in digital humanities received wide international media attention, including reports on the Washington Post, New York Times, NBC News, the Daily Telegraph, Science News, and many others.

Jussi Parikka
New media theorist and Professor in Technological Culture & Aesthetics at Winchester School of Art (University of Southampton), Jussi Parikka is also Docent of digital culture theory at the University of Turku in Finland. Until May 2011 Parikka was the Director of the Cultures of the Digital Economy (CoDE) research institute at Anglia Ruskin University and the founding Co-Director of the Anglia Research Centre for Digital Culture.

Els Vermang – LAb[au]
LAb[au] is the artists trio : Manuel Abendroth, Jérôme Decock and Els Vermang. They question contemporary aesthetics and semiotics, though an algorithmic and conceptual thinking while bringing into play geometry, colour, light and motion. LAb[au] presented their work at Musee d’Art Contemporain (Montreal, 2015), MOMA (New York, 2014), Biennale di Venezia (Venice, 2013), Seoul Museum of Art (Seoul, 2013), Witte de With (Rotterdam, 2006), New Museum (New York, 2003)… and many more.

They realised several permanent artworks and their artworks are part of public and private collections all over the world.

This talk is a part of Contemporary Istanbul 2017 and is coordinated with the help of :
>> Vincent Matthu, co-founders of RLTY.
RLTY is an online resource and communication tool for the development of new technologies in the art market.
>>> Jacques Urbanska, digital art(s) project manager at Transcultures, Belgian Center for digital & sound cultures, Media Artist, art curator, and fouder of a large information web network on « Art(s) + Science(s) » thematic.