Symbiotica

SymbioticA 'The Art and Science Collaborative Research Laboratory'

About

[http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/welcome SymbioticA] is an artistic laboratory dedicated to the research, learning and critique of life sciences. Located within the [http://www.anhb.uwa.edu.au/ School of Anatomy and Human Biology] at [http://www.uwa.edu.au/ The University of Western Australia] , it is the first research laboratory of its kind, in that it enables artists to engage in wet biology practices in a biological science department.

SymbioticA provides a situation where interdisciplinary research and other knowledge and concept generating activities take place. Opportunities are presented to researchers to pursue curiosity-based explorations free of the demands and constraints associated with the current culture of scientific research, while still complying with regulations. SymbioticA offers a new means of artistic inquiry, one in which artists actively use the tools and technologies of science, not just to comment about them, but also to explore their possibilities.

As a mark of international recognition of its activities, SymbioticA was awarded the inaugural [http://www.aec.at/en/prix/winners.asp Golden Nica for Hybrid Arts] in the [http://www.aec.at/en/ Prix Ars Electronica] . An international jury chose SymbioticA from more than 400 entrants as the organisation that epitomised a space that transgresses boundaries and disciplines, describing it as an artistic laboratory dedicated to the research, learning and critique of life sciences.

Activities

SymbioticA hosts [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/residencies residents] ; runs [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/activities/workshops workshops] , [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/educate Masters and Undergraduate] units; produces [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/activities/exhibitions exhibitions] ; and organises [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/activities/friday_afternoons talks] and [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/activities/conferences conferences] .

History

SymbioticA was established in 2000 by cell biologist Professor Miranda Grounds, neuroscientist Professor Stuart Bunt and artist Oron Catts. Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr from the [http://www.tca.uwa.edu.au/ Tissue Culture and Art Project] (TC&A) had been working as artists/researchers in residence in the School of Anatomy and Human Biology and the Lions Eye Institute since 1996. The shared vision of Grounds, Bunt and Catts for a permanent space for artists to engage with science in various capacities led to the building of the artists’ studio/lab on the second floor of the School of Anatomy and Human Biology at The University of Western Australia.

References

* [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/ SymbioticA]
* [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/welcome/about_us About SymbioticA]

External links

* [http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/ Home page]