Leonardo Network News

The Newsletter of the International Society of the Arts, Sciences, and Technology and of l'Observatoire Leonardo des Arts et Technosciences

Leonardo/Olats Co-Sponsors REDCATSUR Network

Co-sponsored by Leonardo/Olats, REDCATSUR is a newly established network of artists, scientists, engineers, theoreticians and institutions promoting communication and collaboration in art, science and technology in Latin America. REDCATSUR welcomes discussions and critical analysis in the field of art, science and technology around Latin America as well as information on events, artists' works, organizations' programs, projects and initiatives. Find out more: <www.leonardo.info/isast/announcements/REDCATSUR.html>.

Artsactive Call for Patents Filed by Artists

Leonardo/Olats, member of The Artsactive Network, is pleased to announce that the network has established—and seeks to expand—a database of artists who have filed patents.

One of the aims of Artsactive has been to develop ways of evaluating and assessing the impact of artistic contributions to what is broadly called "innovation." The organization acknowledges that there are many different ways in which this can be done and it is keen to explore and discuss this spectrum. One key area of analysis is how and to what degree legal systems are being used to support or exploit this contribution.

To start the process of investigation, Artsactive is looking at how and where the patenting system has been used within collaborations or by artists who have been working with science, technology or business. One question that might be raised is, to what extent the filing of patents (and building examples and models thereof) can boost the profile of artists as formal researchers within art and science and art and industry/technology collaborations. By creating a list, Artsactive wishes to promote the idea that artists are also investigators; the organization seeks to offer examples of how and where artists have been formally recognized as such. Registering a patent is a specific way of demonstrating that an investigation is new and innovative.

For more information, visit: <www.artsactive.net/en/resources/patents/>.

Affiliate Program Welcomes New and Renewing Members

We are pleased to announce several new and returning members of the Leonardo Affiliate Membership Program for this year. New members include San Francisco State University/International Center for the Arts; ZKM|Center for Art and Media; and the University of California-Santa Cruz Digital Arts and New Media Program. Returning members include LABoral Centro de Arte y Creacion Industrial, the Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts, and Ontario College of Art and Design.

Leonardo/ISAST invites nonprofit, educational and corporate organizations involved in the intersection of art, science and technology to join us as affiliate members. We offer several levels of membership with varying degrees of benefits. As affiliate members, organizations gain access to a full spectrum of opportunities offered exclusively to members of the program, including enhanced networking in a mutually supportive, leading edge community; new opportunities for collaborations; invitations to participate in upcoming Leonardo-sponsored exhibitions, panels, workshops and other activities; and promotional opportunities. More information about the program and the benefits of joining is available on-line: <leonardo.info/isast/org-membership.html>.

LABS Opens New French Language Database

Leonardo Abstracts Service (LABS), consisting of English-language, Spanish-language, Chinese-language and now French-language databases, is a comprehensive collection of Ph.D., Masters' and M.F.A. thesis abstracts on topics at the intersection between art, science and technology. Individuals receiving advanced degrees in the arts (visual, sound, performance, text), computer sciences, the sciences and/or technology that in some way investigate philosophical, historical or critical applications of science or technology to the arts are invited to submit abstracts of their theses for consideration. The new French-language database, FRANCOLABS, is organized and hosted by the Laboratoire d'Esthétique Théorique et Appliquée of Université Paris 1 Panthéon/Sorbonne.

For more information, visit: <leonardo.info/isast/LABS. html>

In Memoriam: Jean-Marc Philippe

We are saddened to announce the passing of Jean-Marc Philippe, who died 12 November 2008. Philippe was a Parisian artist and research engineer who received the 1987 Leonardo New Horizons for Innovation Award for his shape-memory alloy sculptures. His most recent...