“
As I discuss at some length in my book Colliding
Worlds, the labels art and science are becoming
increasingly irrelevant. In the 21st century, these
fields are merging into what I call a third
culture. This has happened already in media art,
sound art, robotic art, and data visualisation art.
I interviewed many prominent representatives
in these fields, and they were adamant that they
wanted to be known as researchers rather than
artists or scientists. Their works are glimpses into
the future.
Some examples:
Ken Perlin at the NYU Media Lab uses complex
mathematics and physics to create a device to
make animations, such as in films by Pixar, appear
more lifelike. He was awarded an Oscar for what
became known as Perlin Noise. Scott Draves uses
algorithms to adjust the aesthetics of his screen
art and vice versa. Tod Machover at the MIT
Media Lab hooks up musical instruments with
computers, enabling them to go beyond what
they were intended; he calls them hyperinstruments.
Works like these—I call them artsci for lack of
a better term—mingle art and science to make
something entirely new. They are the
products of a new avant-garde.
Arthur I. Miller
14
”
SciArt in America August 2014