PRESS RELEASE 5/5/03

Leonardo/ISAST "Arts Lab" Report Released
for Community Discussion and Debate

A study released today proposes innovative new approaches and models for art and technology institutions. The study, sponsored by Leonardo/ISAST and funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, assesses the current international landscape, lessons learned from recent programs, and new opportunities that would allow art and technology development in a viable and sustainable way.

"Arts Lab," proposes a unique hybrid art center and research lab designed to be "fast, competitive, market-savvy, and not-for-profit." Its goal is to be financially sustainable with little compromise of artistic or research values. "Can it work?" asks the Arts Lab website, where researchers and students have been accumulating data since last September.

"Almost" answers project director Michael Naimark. "Several unique opportunities exist for supporting tech-based art, such as commercializing invention and tapping a new generation of sponsors and collectors," Naimark explains. "But having art and research 100% dependent on the commercial marketplace misses even larger opportunities. There are examples in Europe, Japan and Canada where a dose of public or not-for-profit support leverages more ambitious things to happen, both culturally and commercially. Almost nothing like these exist for tech-based art in the US."

Naimark, who spent 7 months last year in Japan, has since visited eight European cities plus several in Canada and the US to visit art centers with an interest in technology and research labs with an interest in art. "They come from different pasts and have different cultures," he said. "Also, these are particularly challenging times in terms of the economy. Everyone seems excited about the future but uncertain about the present."

"We've decided to make Naimark's report available online immediately," says Leonardo Executive Editor Roger Malina. "It's very timely, and we feel this is the time to rethink what works and what doesn’t. This report will encourage healthy discussion and debate. Naimark has written it from the perspective of an artist and researcher who has worked within several of the key institutions in the field. His conclusions are based on this experience."

"Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Money: Technology-Based Art and the Dynamics of Sustainability," a 40 page report, is now available at http://www.artslab.net.

The Report


Leonardo/ISAST, whose publications are published in partnership with MIT Press, promotes the work of artists involved in contemporary science and technology and seeks to stimulate innovative work between artists, scientists and engineers. For further information, please see http://www.leonardo.info.

Michael Naimark is a media artist and researcher. He was instrumental in the founding of several research labs and his art projects exhibit internationally. For further information, please see http://www.naimark.net/bio.html .