'Interdisciplinary' is a very sexy word these days, and for good reason. Exploring links between existing bodies of knowledge can be exciting and fruitful. But knowing enough about both areas to do this in a way that is actually productive can be quite difficult, especially when they are quite different, and both require a fair amount of background knowledge to get started.
When artists tackle scientific ideas or themes (or vice versa), the result may be pretty cool, but is often not truly interdisciplinary. Knowing what is interesting on one or more scientific fronts as well as contemporary art fronts, plus having the specialized knowledge and skills in both fields to create something meaningful, is a lot of work.
One thing that makes all interdisciplinary work harder is the lack of a traditional support infrastructure. This is especially true for people who are still beginning their careers. Therefore, I think it important to point out examples of people and resources that make it easier to bridge this gap. One such resource is the journal Leonardo and its associated publications, put out by MIT Press. I first learned about this journal when researching one of its editorial board members, Eduardo Kac. Leonardo is a general interest journal dealing with the connectedness of science, technology, and art, and seems to me to be one of the best examples of how to do this in a way that isn't either scientifically or artistically naive.
When artists tackle scientific ideas or themes (or vice versa), the result may be pretty cool, but is often not truly interdisciplinary. Knowing what is interesting on one or more scientific fronts as well as contemporary art fronts, plus having the specialized knowledge and skills in both fields to create something meaningful, is a lot of work.
One thing that makes all interdisciplinary work harder is the lack of a traditional support infrastructure. This is especially true for people who are still beginning their careers. Therefore, I think it important to point out examples of people and resources that make it easier to bridge this gap. One such resource is the journal Leonardo and its associated publications, put out by MIT Press. I first learned about this journal when researching one of its editorial board members, Eduardo Kac. Leonardo is a general interest journal dealing with the connectedness of science, technology, and art, and seems to me to be one of the best examples of how to do this in a way that isn't either scientifically or artistically naive.
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