Spring Symposium: Interstitial Illumination

 
Afternoon symposium featuring visual experiences, lightning talks, discussion and experiments exploring the generative space between the mind and world.
 
When: Friday, April 26, 2019, 1-5 pm    
Where: MIT Museum Studio and Compton Gallery, 10-150  
 
 
Program
1:00 -1:30 pm     Exhibition opening + introductory remarks
1:30 -3:00 pm     Illumination talks + discussion 
3:00 - 3:30 pm    Performance + reflection
3:30 - 5:00 pm    Illumination talks + discussion 
5:00 pm               Reception 

Speakers

Antonio Torralba 
     Director, Quest for Intelligence
     MIT Director, MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab

Margaret Livingstone 
     Takeda Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard University

Matthew Ritchie 
     Dasha Zhukova Distinguished Visiting Artist at CAST, MIT 

Caroline Jones
     Professor of Art History in the History, Theory, Criticism Section
     Department of Architecture, MIT 

Flip Phillips       
     Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience, Skidmore College 
     Animation Scientist, Pixar (1987-1992)

Alex Byrne
     Professor of Philosophy, MIT
     Head of the Department of Philosophy & Linguistics, MIT

Elizabeth Goldring
     Head, Vision Arts Group
     MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies

Mark Goulthorpe
     Associate Professor, MIT Department of Architecture

Sarah Schwettmann 
     PhD Candidate, MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences 

Seth Riskin
     MIT Museum Studio & Compton Gallery Manager

 
Description
From incoming sensory data with infinite potential interpretations, the brain builds a rich world of experience. The constructive function of perception is at work in the gap between the observer and the outside—there the world of experience is generated, and art and science share ground.
We suggest that the act of perception is that of creating an internal representation of the external world. Art can turn that process inside out, resulting in manifestations whereby the perceptual system can observe itself. How can the experiences afforded by art and the models of science enrich each other? What is constructed in-between? Can we imagine hybrid creations that go beyond collaboration?
 
Organizers
Sarah Schwettmann
     MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Adam Horowitz
     MIT Media Lab
Adam Burke
     MIT Museum Studio
Ben Miller
     MIT Mechanical Engineering
Seth Riskin
    MIT Museum Studio and Compton Gallery