In partnership with media art pioneer Fujihata Masaki, CCBT will hold “Concerning Art & Technology,” a series of Meetup events that investigate the relationship between humans, technology, and art.
Can art form a seawall against environmental mechanization? This series of CCBT Meetup events examines the future intersection of humans, technology, and art.
Our lives, the future, and society are always changing with advances in technology. In the face of new trends such as AI and Web3, this series of talks decodes science, art, philosophy, and technology, and how they interrelate socially and historically. Media art pioneer Fujihata Masaki and CCBT have devised a special curriculum across eight sessions. They emphasize new insights and ideas gained through dialogue, and include a practice-based component of jointly created work exploring assigned themes. Aimed at a wide range of participants seeking new creative perspectives, from viewers to artists and students, the series offers a place of learning for building a future society at the intersection of art and technology.
* This series of events is held as part of the Research Partners Program, in which CCBT works with Japanese and international researchers to undertake R&D contributing to civic creativity, and makes those results public.
Concerning Art & Technology Directed by Fujihata Masaki
“Since I was often asked about the meaning of my work and had to talk about it in public, I have always sought out answers and the right words to do that. At these sessions, I will use language rooted in my own experience to make things very easy for participants to follow.”
Fujihata Masaki
Sessions #1–8
#1: Living as a Human (Guidance) ｜May 26 (Sun), 2024, 15:00-17:00
#2: Tools and Devices (On Humans) | June 16 (Sun), 2024, 16:00-18:00
#3: Whirlwind Tour of Art History (History of Painting) | July 7, 2024, 16:00-18:00
#4: Viewing and Participation (On Seeing) | August 18, 2024, 16:00-18:00
#5: Conception and Medium (On Conceiving) | September 22, 2024, 16:00-18:00
#6: Life and Machines (On Knowing) | October 20, 2024, 16:00-18:00
#7: Concerning Art & Technology Complete Recap | November 17, 2024, 16:00-18:00
#8: Art and Artistic Expression (On Value) | December 22, 2024, 16:00-18:00
Sessions #2–8 Curriculum
#2: Tools and Devices (On Humans)
June 16 (Sun), 2024, 16:00-18:00
What is the significance of a tool for humankind? The invention of tools has provided us with opportunities to externalize human memory. This produced symbols, type, books, and eventually, the digital media we use today. This process of invention has not ended but remains ongoing, ready for poets and artists to embark on further endeavors.
#3: Whirlwind Tour of Art History (History of Painting)
July 7, 2024, 16:00-18:00
Before we step into the future, I want to take a look back on the history of art. It is a past truly rich with resources, but has been categorized as merely part of the liberal arts, preventing us from learning fully about the things that humans have done historically and their consequences. I will propose some different approaches to viewing history.
#4: Viewing and Participation (On Seeing)
August 18, 2024, 16:00-18:00
Are you able to see the world fully? Being an artist or designer requires you also to be a good viewer. Can you recognize your own biases? I want to explore various approaches to these questions.
#5: Conception and Medium (On Conceiving)
September 22, 2024, 16:00-18:00
Though quite hard for many people to understand, the word “concept” is used a lot today and is a very important term. But why? And why do some people find it difficult?
#6: Life and Machines (On Knowing)
October 20, 2024, 16:00-18:00
Since the twentieth century, a debate has raged over whether life and machines are truly separate entities. The more science advances, the more we understand how close humans are to machines. Likewise, machines are becoming increasingly more human. Based on what the previous five sessions have covered, I want to tackle this issue that is set to become so crucial in the future.
#8: Art and Artistic Expression (On Value)
December 22, 2024, 16:00-18:00
The art market for buying and selling artworks as commodities has reached an unprecedented scale. But this does not necessarily always match with the value of art. Why did this situation arise? I want to join the dots to help us think about that.
