The fields of art and science have different ways of generating knowledge
that humans use to navigate life and society. Art interprets reality by merging
with the personal side, while science tries to differentiate the subject from the
phenomenon being studied. Despite their attempts to intersect, art and
science are often viewed as dichotomies, with art being subjective and science
being objective. This tension between art and science continues, even within
academic circles. As a result, artmaking has traditionally not been seen as a
valid source of knowledge due to its fluid methodologies and dynamics.
Additionally, artists who work within academia are frequently compelled to
conform to traditional academic culture. Despite the significant contributions
of science to society, the dominance of the positivist tradition remains strong.
Within this context, the idea of focusing on the artist-as-researcher emerged.
This initiative proposes that artistic practice, when used as a research method,
is a valid source of knowledge that can broaden the restrictive nature of the
positivist perspective. Essentially, the artist-as-researcher acts as a bridge
between subjective individual qualities and objective research methodology.
However, the scientific community often dismisses and doubts these
proposals. Despite this, the goal of exploring the untapped potential of art as a
source of knowledge remains. These objectives precede the initiative to
organize this exhibition, exploring various alternative attempts to extract and
mediate knowledge and facing the challenges that would later emerge.