Laser Talk

LASER Talks: Art and Science for the construction of a new better

How can Art & Science construct a New Better – post Covid?

The pandemic forced us to stay home and maintain social distance, reshaping the way we see the world and interact with each other. Arts and science both play an important role in our daily lives, but how can they contribute to shaping a “new better”? On the 16th of September, Fiocruz, PUC-Rio and swissnex Brazil invited Rejane Spitz, Clarissa Ribeiro, Andrea Anner and Thibault Brevet to discuss this topic.

As Rejane Spitz LASER co-host, introduced, recovering from the pandemic should aim at better rebuilding. It is mainly about creating a new concept of better. What is the role of artists and scientists in developing this new concept?

Clarissa Ribeiro showed a snapshot of her installation aimed at allowing people to smell elements in a bag, so that they can connect with the substances. The Inhaling consciousness exhibition is part of an effort to explore the interaction between the body and the environment at the molecular level. These latent inhibitions are also related to openness to experience and creativity.

Andrea Anner and Thibault Brevet, from AATB, showed their projects that showcase robotic arms. The idea is to take the robots out of the industrial space and allow them to play and interact with individuals. One of their projects, commissioned by swissnex Boston, allows users to control the robots virtually allowing them to touch in the physical world through a mechanical handshake; another one makes robots make soap bubbles, as children would do.

The debate raised questions about the impact of the Covid-19 and what are the lessons learned from the pandemic. One aspect highlighted by the speakers is the need to slow down and not necessarily prioritize efficiency but allow humans and robots, to play, be clumsy and imperfect. Finally, the relationship between artists and scientists is much more interconnected than thought at first sight, making the interaction between the two fields important.