“The proper artistic response to digital technology is to embrace it as a new window on everything that’s eternally human, and to use it with passion, wisdom, fearlessness and joy.” – Ralph Lombreglia
What is MAD? Foundation MAD (Multi-Disc Art, 1995) was established as an artists intiative and has become a very active organization with enthusiastic volunteers, each with their own specialization, which develop connections between art, science and technology. MAD acts as a laboratory, platform and provider of Emergent Art: art that arises from the tension between cultural – and cutting-edge technology. MAD maintains its interfaces as large as possible and focuses on artists, designers, scientists, technologists, public interest groups, educational institutions, governments and businesses. This takes place both regionally, nationally and internationally. The use of networks like the Internet, ICT and new media offer the possibility to represent interactive research, development, presentation, production, distributions, and discussions that are accessible for public. Activities are being developed in three levels:
- MADlab: laboratory for technology and art
- MADnet: platform for artists, scientists en technologists
- MADpub: presentation of emergent art
Vision
Transparancy of technology
Unlike anybody else, artists are capable of experimenting with technology in an open-minded, independent way and toying with the effects of technology on sociëty and culture and develop this. The growing distance between civilians and technological state-of-the-art makes it necessary for artists to offer qualitatively highgrade resistance.
Autonomous technoculture
Eindhoven is a strong region as far as technology and design are concerned. However, there’s insufficient contact between artists and technologists. On a European and mondial scale, the strength of Eindhoven’s technology-status isn’t credible without a well-developed social-cultural support. Striving must be to join forces on the creative field to stimulate the cultural implementation of technology independant of bureaucratically-economically steered relations.
Activating synergy
Knowledge, creativity and curiosity are [in combination] a very strong factor for innovation. These qualities occur above average with scientists as well as with artists. By letting these groups work and experiment together, unprecedented possibilities come forward. Developing the best of these two worlds in togetherness will give new impulses to both art and technology.