Talk Event “Artists × Science – Veilhan × Intermediatheque”

2015.04.23
ACADEMIA

　　　The IMT College launches a new series of talk events confronting the viewpoints of artists with that of University museums. For the inaugural talk, we will welcome French artist Xavier Veilhan to discuss the actuality of “Art & Science” in museums and in contemporary art, based on a confrontation between Veilhan’s creative work and the University Museum’s experimental exhibitions at the Intermediatheque.
　　　A laboratory of Art & Science. So could we sum up the Intermediatheque’s multi-faceted activities. Its exhibitions based on a synthetic design offer an innovative showcase for the University of Tokyo’s colossal collection of scientific specimens, investing new meaning and value in them. They have thereby become a source of inspiration for contemporary creation. Surpassing University museums’ former domain, the Intermediatheque thus bridges Science with Art and Design.
　　　Recently among contemporary artists, we find an interdisciplinary tendency operating in the opposite direction, whereby they incorporate the history of science as well as various technical devices in their works. Xavier Veilhan (born 1963), who has donated a sculptural work to the Intermediatheque, has constantly questioned the frontier between the visible and the invisible, producing a body of works now representative of French contemporary art. While his works present intuitively perceptible forms, their references and modes of production are grounded in a complex world ranging from science to cultural history.
　　　To what extent do scientific specimens offer an aesthetic resource for creation in contemporary art? In the near future, can science become a major source of inspiration for contemporary art? How do artists active today perceive the Intermediatheque? These interrogations will serve as a point of departure for an interdisciplinary discussion opposing distinct views on this crucial topic.


［Date］Thursday April 23, 2015, 18:00-19:30 (Opens at 17:30)
［Venue］ACADEMIA, Intermediatheque 2nd floor
［Discussants］Xavier Veilhan (Artist) × Kei Osawa (Associate researcher, UMUT)
［Language］French (with Japanese translation)
［Number of Seats］48
［Admission］500 yen (please buy a ticket beforehand) 【SOLD OUT】

* The talk is open to everyone.
* The participants need to purchase a ticket at the IMT Boutique located on the third floor of the Intermediatheque.
* The number of tickets is limited to 48. In case the tickets are sold out prior to the event date, no additional tickets will be issued.
* The tickets will be required upon entering the event venue. Participants having lost their ticket will not be able to access the venue. Thank you for your comprehension.