Monday, June 29, 2009

Robot Dreams Symposium at Kunsthaus Graz



Kunsthaus Graz and the Museum Jean Tinguely, Basel are organising a symposium on the subject of robotics in the context of art. The event will explore the cultural history of the phenomenon, robots in everyday use and the importance of artificial intelligence for the development and self-image of society. Robot Dreams is a platform for diverse scientists, artists and cultural historians to pursue the social, cultural historical and artistic implications of the subject. The symposium is closely connected with the joint exhibition program the two museums are planning for summer and autumn 2010 likewise focusing on the phenomenon of robotic and art.

In the development of robots and particularly intelligent swarm robots, the discussions range from illuminating evolutionary theory to learning to understand biological behaviour. What does it mean if robots penetrate our thinking and action - do we need to "rethink work", for example, as Professor Albers of Karlsruhe University believes? And what does it mean for art? How does art react and what new thinking will involve if robotics and artificial intelligence give rise to new materials and media and new fields of universal interconnections? Will we still be able to regard the fine arts as a discrete realm?

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