art in progress

The  art project “art in progress” at the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg (HWK) is a contribution to the interdisciplinary thinking of the present. With it, the house will be opened up to international and national, established as well as promising young artists, in whose works the imagination and thinking space of art and science are intertwined.

In addition to the fellows from the fields of Marine and Climate Research, Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences, Social Sciences and Energy Research, now visual artists, writers, composers and musicians will in future also have the opportunity to be fellows as Artists in Residence for a defined period. This will fulfill the prerequisites for the addition and expansion of the intellectually heterogeneous atmosphere at the HWK.

The main point is the encounter of art and science, of scientists and artists, and the institution appears to be well qualified for this. The close network of these two disciplines, which goes far back in history, is now once again contemporary and the source of a number of debates. In future, the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg will increasingly afford the opportunity to evaluate the differences, similarities and intersections of scientific and artistic work and the possibilities to learn from one another.

The artists selected to stay at the HWK each present their works in an exhibition prepared by the curator, which can, in a variety of ways, lead to discussions amongst the artists. In addition, lectures, round table talks and podium discussions will be held with renowned arts scholars, natural scientists and fellows. These are designed to discuss the balance between research and imagination, logic and inspiration.

At present, insights into the functions of perception are at center stage for neuroscientists and artists. Young art as well as social sciences are still widely dominated by socio-critical approaches. These groups of themes could serve, for example, the further development of the dialog between science and art and as a starting point for the various interactions of the two fields.