On 15–16 March 2019, the Graduate School of Advanced and Integrated Studies in Human Survivability (GSAIS, or "Shishu-kan") held the second "Art & Science" international symposium in collaboration with the University of London's Goldsmiths Department of Computing. The event was based on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2017 and dedicated to promoting "art thinking" to catalyze innovation in a wide range of fields. The first symposium was held in September 2017 at Goldsmiths, focusing on academic activities. The 2019 conference aimed to expand the discussion to explore the possibilities of "art innovation" in industry and government sectors as well.
The 15–16 March event opened with greetings from GSAIS Dean Professor Kaoru Takara, and a welcome address from KyotoU President Juichi Yamagiwa. It was followed by two keynote talks: one by virtual reality (VR) pioneer Professor Scott Fisher, associate dean of research at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and founding chair of the School's Interactive Media Division; and the other by Mr Tetsuya Azuma, director for international exhibitions at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), who is in charge of the 2025 Osaka Expo.
The two-day program was comprised of numerous talks and activities. Speakers included KyotoU and Goldsmiths researchers as well as experts from the art world. There were also presentations from five industrial companies actively pursuing innovation through art, along with reports from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Kyoto prefectural and municipal governments on their art-related initiatives.
Finally, a panel discussion was held to explore the potential of art to spark innovation in different fields and sectors.
The symposium also featured exhibitions of invited and submitted works showcasing the integration of art and science. Exhibitions were held at multiple locations including KyotoU Tachibana Kaikan and Kennin Temple, also known as Kennin-ji (visit the link below for the list of exhibited works and competition winners).
The organizers hope that the success of the event will inspire more "art innovation" initiatives over the coming years across academia, industry, and government.
GSAIS Dean Takara greeting the crowd
Keynote talk by Director Azuma from METI
Lecture by GSAIS Program-Specific Professor Tosa (photo courtesy of The Kyoto Shimbun Co Ltd)
Lecture by Professor William Latham from the Goldsmiths Department of Computing
Lecture by Dr Kazuo Nakamura, representative director, chairman, and chief executive officer of CMIC Holdings Co Ltd
GSAIS Professor Yosuke Yamashiki discussing his work related to extrasolar planets
Kennin-ji General Manager Shundou Asano, a Zen priest and one of the speakers at the symposium, touring the Tachibana Kaikan exhibition
President Yamagiwa, Professor Latham, Program-Specific Professor Tosa, and Tokyo University of the Arts Professor Junji Ito reviewing artwork submitted for the "Art Innovation" competition
Symposium presenters and attendees
Related links
- KyotoU-Goldsmiths Art & Science International Symposium: "Art Innovation"
http://art.gsais.kyoto-u.ac.jp/index-en.html - "Art Innovation" exhibition details
http://art.gsais.kyoto-u.ac.jp/artworks.html
