Connecticut College will host the 18th Ammerman Center Triennial Symposium on Arts and Technology from March 26 through March 28, bringing together more than 100 artists, scholars, and technologists. The event marks the symposium’s 40th anniversary.
The symposium’s theme this year is “All Too Human,” which explores how scientific and technological advances are changing ideas about what it means to be human. The program features performances, exhibitions, panels, and workshops that focus on topics such as artificial intelligence, human-machine collaboration, and creative practice. Admission is free for New London-area residents as well as Connecticut College students, faculty, and staff.
A keynote address will be delivered by documentary producer and filmmaker Katerina Cizek on Friday at Evans Hall in the Cummings Arts Center. Cizek is recognized as a Peabody- and Emmy-winning documentarian who works with collective processes and new technologies. She serves as co-founder, research scientist, and artistic director of the Co-Creation Studio at MIT Open Documentary Lab. She also co-wrote “Collective Wisdom,” described as the world’s first comprehensive book on co-creating media.
Three commissioned artists—Tansy Xiao, Mathieu Pradat, and Kate Ladenheim—spent a week at Connecticut College preparing their work for presentation at the symposium while engaging with students and community members. Xiao developed a new version of “LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor),” which brings together musicians, dancers, and virtual environments to explore forms of intelligence outside of human dominance. Pradat led a workshop for “Giants and Minis,” a mobile game involving collaborative city preservation efforts against destructive forces. Ladenheim will present “Gestural Publics,” using motion capture technology to study how digitizing movement affects culture.
The Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology describes itself as a community dedicated to exploring relationships between arts, technology, and culture through experimentation or research. It aims to foster interdisciplinary work by offering educational experiences including courses, workshops, symposia events like this one.
