Art and Science of the Invisible World: KEYNOTE JAN ŚWIERKOWSKI

Science explains the world, but only Art can reconcile us to it. What do we really know about the origin of the Universe? A blank so wide can be filled with myths and legends. The Three Electroknights, Stanisław Lem

“In this keynote, I will discuss how humans, with the help of art, can interact with scientific concepts that can’t be directly experienced through senses, either as small as atoms or as distant as black holes. I will try to explain how these interactions can be “life-altering and mind-bending experiences”, that affect reevaluating philosophical concepts and everyday life through a cognitive shift similar to the Overview Effect experienced by astronauts.

In order not to be groundless in these bold statements, I will invite you to the world of Instytut B61, international art and science collective founded by astronomers and performers, musicians, visual artists, and actors. Since 2009, the group launched 15 art and science experiences, presented in Poland, Portugal, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and India. By far, the most important activity of the Instytut B61 has been the Cosmic Underground, founded by the European Commission in a specially designed train consisting of 10 freight carriages- installations. The immersive exhibition which lasted more than two months traveled from Tallinn to Guimarães and involved more than 40 artists, scientists, and researchers.”