Symposium »Dealing with Fear II«

International Symposium at Akademie Schloss Solitude
in the framework of the art, science & business program

Initiated by Petros Koumoutsakos, Ingrid Mundry, Philip Ursprung

October 30 to 31, 2008

The symposium continues the interdisciplinary work of the Akademie Schloss Solitude on the main topic »Dealing with Fear« with a discussion of two special aspects: »The Artist's Fear of Her-/Himself« and »Fear of New Technologies by the Public«. The exploration of the challenge of a subjectively perceived fear of one's existence and of a socially-grounded fear of the future is not only an experiment, in which artists, art historians, cultural scientists, and nano researchers will engage themselves, but is also an approach which will trace unexpected interdisciplinary commonalities.

The recognizability of the artistic author is precondition of the success in today’s world of culture, although or even because everything seems to be possible. Only the one who finds his own position – and is able to hold it –, will find his audience. Critique does not forgive changing lanes, and it does not bestow premature praise. Critique does not want to commemorate an ›early work‹ and has no time to wait for a ›late work‹. In addition to the type of artist who wants to be recognizable by specification, there are those artists who like to keep adapting themselves by changeability. But while the first type can no longer seek the ›other‹ in his/her work, the ›self‹ is excluded from the second type. The fear of building an artistic identity, which is too tight or too open, too easy to confuse with others or outside of conventions, is therefore always present during the careers of artists. What happens if the criteria of value change? What if their own image suddenly gets in the way? Is misconduct in the cultural field – unlike in politics and economy – irreversible?

Fear of new technologies is one of the major phobias since the 1990s, culminating in the turn of the century when the public was holding its breath in expectation of a world-wide computer breakdown. Faith in the future, which inspired people until the 1980s, has been replaced with a diffuse fear of the future and change. Besides a resistance to the use of machines, the public is afraid of engineering developments and scientific research in the fields of nano-technology, nuclear energy, genetic research, etc. and its possible manipulations and unknown invisible impacts on the everyday life and future generations. People don not look at technology as a product of the human intellect – like music, literature, philosophy, architecture – but rather as independent and from the human nature differentiated reality and, in this sense, as a constant threat. What are the causes for this cultural fear of technology? How do scientists deal with this diffuse fear? And how can one create and build trust as the opposite of fear?

The opening lecture will be held in German, the lectures on Friday are in English.

Please register with Catharina Märklin (Tel. +49-711-99619-134, cm@akademie-solitude.de).

Free admission.