Meaningful Art-Science Interactions

An Inter- and Transdisciplinary Palette
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-3-032-29040-3
Verlag: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Buch, Englisch, 240 Seiten, Format (B × H): 148 mm x 210 mm

What can art and science learn from each other? What happens when science meets arts? Drawing on concrete cases, this book explores the diverse forms of science-art interactions through an interdisciplinary lens, highlighting insights and experiences.

This book originates from the Palettes research project at KU Leuven, an interdisciplinary initiative supported by Methusalem funding, one of Belgium’s most prestigious long-term research grants awarded to internationally recognized scholars. As the development of the chapters is coordinated within the project and supported by close collaboration across disciplines, the book maintains a clear and shared focus, namely: what makes these art- science interactions in their specific case contexts ‘meaningful’, and what others can learn from them. At the same time, it embraces an interdisciplinary perspective that reflects the diversity of approaches and perceptions within the project, allowing the individual cases to generate broader, transferable insights. Across the chapters, the leading question is what makes these interactions and collaborations both meaningful and challenging. It offers an in-depth understanding of integrating art in scientific research as a distinct way of knowing and engaging with the world, rather than as a mere instrument or tool, while providing guidance for navigating challenges.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Van Even, Priscilla

Zaman, Bieke

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Medienwissenschaften
• Geisteswissenschaften Kunst Kunst, allgemein Kunsttheorie, Kunstphilosophie
• Geisteswissenschaften Kunst Kunstgeschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1: Introduction: A palette of meaningful art-science interactions.- Chapter 2: At the crossroads of art and science: A typology for epistemic innovation, diversity, and interculturality.- Chapter 3: Before entering the studio or lab: Exploring paradigms for art-science collaborations.- Chapter 4: Squaring the circle: Balancing order and complexity in art and science.- Chapter 5: Learning from materials: Understanding textile art across disciplines.- Chapter 6: Working across and beyond boundaries: A journey in artscience collaborations.- Chapter 7: Arts-based storytelling in science dissemination and knowledge generation: Diverse perspectives in and about digital society.- Chapter 8: From a personal encounter to inquiry: The hybrid practices of Lynn Hershman Leeson and Koen Vanmechelen.- Chapter 9: Hidden knowledge, prominent experience: Reflections on interactions between arts and science.- Chapter 10: Children’s art experiences: Interactive digital art.- Chapter 11: Science trough an artistic lens: Scientific aesthetics and aesthetic exhibition practices with kinetic art installations in science museums.- Chapter 12: Making as a way of seeing. Learning to understand Helen Frankenthaler through hands-on painting.- Chapter 13: An eye for art.- Chapter 14: Beyond technical thinking: Revealing reflections on media art, logocentrism, and epistemic diversity.- Chapter 15: Conclusion: Reflections on and conditions for meaningful artscience interactions.

Über Autor(innen)

Priscilla Van Even is an inter- and transdisciplinary researcher at the Meaningful Interactions Lab, KU Leuven, Belgium where she studies knowledge translation, epistemic diversity, and visual representation in science, with a particular focus on the role of art and images in the Palettes project. Her work examines how artistic and scientific practices intersect, and how creative methodologies can support meaningful public engagement with science.

Bieke Zaman is a Professor of Human–Computer Interaction at KU Leuven and Co–Principal Investigator of the Palettes project. Her research examines how children engage with art and culture, with a particular focus on technological mediation. She studies how digital tools shape learning processes, and social interaction, and how interdisciplinary methods can enrich research on art engagement.