[rohrpost] open call: On Display – An Artistic View on Computational Neuroscience, Science and Society: Session at the Bernstein Conference 2018

[Ingeborg Reichle]

open call

On Display – An Artistic View on Computational Neuroscience

Closing date for applications: August 31, 2017

Science and Society Session at the Bernstein Conference 2018

How does our brain process information? How do we learn and remember?
How can computer models simulate the processes in our brain? These are
the questions tackled by computational neurosciences, a research field
comprising many scientific disciplines - reaching from mathematics,
physics, biology, medicine to engineering and psychology. With “On
Display – An Artistic View on Computational Neuroscience / Auf dem
(Bild)schirm: Computational Neuroscience im Blickwinkel der Kunst”,
the Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience seeks to build a
bridge to the general public with a Science and Society Session at the
annual Bernstein Conference 2018 in Berlin.

Artists are invited to approach cutting-edge research questions in
computational neuroscience from an artistic perspective. Ideally, this
will also reflect back on the scientific community’s own frame of
reference. The artistic approach should spark a dialogue about
philosophical, ethical and socio-cultural aspects of computational
neuroscience. This could entail the elaboration of opportunities and
threats of brain-computer interfaces, neurorobotics, autonomous cars,
intelligent networks, artificial intelligence or big data.

Artists are requested to submit all kinds of innovative concepts. The
artistic strategy is entirely free and not narrowed down to a
particular technique. We welcome ideas in the field of visual art,
digital art or hybrid art containing analogous, digital or biomedical
forms – provided the final artistic involvement contains interactive
elements.

This call is open to artists internationally.

The project

The artist gets in touch with one, two or more research groups of the
Bernstein Network to get a grasp of their scientific approach. The aim
of the project is to generate a productive mutual exchange of ideas
and perspectives between the artist and the researchers in the
Bernstein Network. If requested, the Bernstein Coordination Site
(BCOS) will be happy to assist in finding a suitable match for the
artist’s ideas.

The selected artist should develop a piece of art, which will be
showcased at the Bernstein Conference 2018 in Berlin (September 25-
28, 2018) and s/he will commit her/ himself to actively participate in
a panel discussion together with the participating researchers as well
as experts from art history, philosophy and ethics. The artist should
be present for the entire duration of the Bernstein Conference and
engage with members of the general public, the press as well as the
scientific delegates.

The Jury/ Organizing Committee

The jury consists of members of the Bernstein Network as well as
experts in science and art history who are experienced with bridging
art and science.

Joerg Fingerhut
Berlin School of Mind and Brain, the Einstein Group "Consciousness,
Emotions, Values", Berlin; Association of Neuroaesthetics

Michael John Gorman
Founder of Science Gallery Dublin; Founding Director of Biotopia
Naturkundemuseum Bayern; University of Munich

Benedikt Grothe
Professor of Neurobiology, University of Munich; Bernstein Network

Jens Hauser
Department of Arts and Cultural Studies , University of Copenhagen

Daniel S. Margulies
The NeuroBuero; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain
Sciences, Leipzig; Association of Neuroaesthetics

Ingeborg Reichle
Professor for Media Theory, University of Applied Arts, Vienna

Alexandra Stein
Bernstein Coordination Site, Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience

We offer

• An opportunity for mutual exchange with scientists and other
researchers.
• € 7.000 award money including the budget for material and travel
expenses.
• Access to the labs.
• Access to lectures and talks.
• Access to the respective libraries on site and scientific articles.
• 50 free copies of the final print publication of the project.

We expect

• Applicants should be fluent in English.
• Applicants will take care of their VISA to Germany (if applicable).
• The final piece of art must be finished by the end of June 2018.
• The artist must purchase the required material her/ himself.
• The artist is required to document the work process and provide
input about her/ his ideas behind the project once it’s finished.

Possible forms of communication are podcasts, tweets, pictures or
video clips distributed through BCOS media channels in the run up to
the Bernstein Conference 2018.

Submission

Each submission has to be made in English. It must include the following:
• Curriculum vitae
• A letter of motivation (max. 1 page)
• A selected portfolio showing significant works
• An outline of the idea the artist wishes to pursue. The submitted
idea must already reflect the direction of the project in terms of
theme, artistic technique and the interactive element(s). (approx. 1 page)

Closing date for applications: August 31, 2017

Applications must be submitted electronically with all required
documents to

Bernstein.network at fz-juelich.de

Your contacts
Dr. Alexandra Stein
Head of Bernstein Coordination Site
Dr. Claudia Duppé
Press and Public Relations
Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience | Bernstein Coordination
Site (BCOS)
Branch Office of the Forschungszentrum Jülich
at the University of Freiburg
Hansastr. 9A
79104 Freiburg
Germany

If you intend to send something through the post, please contact us
beforehand. See www.nncn.de

Selection

Applications will be evaluated by the jury.

The selected artist will be announced mid-October 2017.

NOTE: The reception of each application will be confirmed by email.
All documents and material provided in addition to the electronic
version cannot be returned.

Web
www.nncn.de/de/neues/open-call-arts-project/open-call

Funding

Schering Foundation

Bernstein Association Computational Neuroscience


-- 
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ingeborg Reichle
Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien /
University of Applied Arts Vienna
Abteilung Medientheorie / Media Theory
Oskar Kokoschka Platz 2
1010 Wien, Austria
www.dieangewandte.at