The VU ART SCIENCE Gallery now has its very own podcast! The first series features conversations between Research Master student / gallery host Sem Bannenberg, and VU scholars and practitioners in relation to themes emergent in exhibitions held at the gallery. The first 5 episodes are connected to the current exhibition ‘Natural Technology: Welcome to the Symbiocene.’ The guest speakers were invited to share their reflections about the artworks, drawing insight from their respective disciplines and fields of inquiry and collectively covering a wide range of topics, from fungal forest networks, to animal emotions and robot law.

You can listen to the episodes on Spotify (Natural Technology Podcast) and here:

Podcasts

The ‘Natural Technology’ Series: Welcome to the Symbiocene

Episode 1 – Exhibition Concept: Wende Wallert, art curator of the VU Library and director of the VU ART SCIENCE Gallery, speaks about the exhibition concept for ‘Natural Technology’ and how the artists were selected for this exhibition. 

Episode 2 – Wood Wide Webs: VU researcher and mycologist Vasilis Kokkoris explains how fungi create mycelium networks and how these relate to human network systems. Furthermore, Kokkoris reflects on the artwork Premium Connect by artist Tabita Rezaire, shown as part of the exhibition.

Episode 3 – Animal Emotions: VU literary scholar and director of the VU Environmental Humanities Center, Kristine Steenbergh, talks about the cultural role of animal emotion in literature and a more comprehensive range of Environmental Humanities. Furthermore, Steenbergh describes how the emotional power in the works of artist Jelle Korevaar fit within the Environmental Humanities. 

Episode 4 – AI, Robot Law & Androids: Prof. Rob van den Hoven van Genderen, lecturer and researcher in AI & Robot Law at the VU, explains how laws surrounding AI, robots, and androids are shaped and how these will possibly be amended in the future. He discusses such legislation in relation to the portrait series Androids by artist Wanda Tuerlinckx. 

Episode 5 – Photosynthesis & ARTSCIENCE: In the final episode of the series, Raoul Frese, biophysicist and director of the VU ARTSCIENCE Hybrid Forms Laboratory speaks about how working with artists positively influences his research and why the VU ARTSCIENCE Laboratory as well as initiatives such as Studiotopia help scientists go beyond borders they have never crossed before. Furthermore, Frese reflects on Hypergravity Bio Portal, a work realized in collaboration with the Laboratory by artist Christiaan Zwanikken.

Acknowledgements

The exhibition Natural Technology: Welcome to the Symbiocene and this podcast series are possible with the support of partners Clue+ and Studiotopia. Thank you to the VU Library for generously hosting the conversations with guest speakers. Interviewer: Sem Bannenberg. Recording and editing: Harm Rieske.

More information

VU ART SCIENCE Gallery website – http://www.artsciencegallery.nl

VU ART SCIENCE Gallery on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/artscience_gallery/

Hybrid Forms Lab – https://hybridformslab.com/who-organization/

CLUE+ – https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/research-institutes/clue

VU Environmental Humanities Centre – https://environmentalhumanitiescenter.com/