Director’s Statement

In 2008, SIGGRAPH reorganized to deliver a more cohesive experience to our conference community. This brought changes large and small, including the introduction of overarching conference themes and modifications in how conference content was selected, organized, and presented.

A formal Art Papers program was established to perpetuate art-based scholarly research. For decades, SIGGRAPH has recognized the community that publishes, delivers, and applies research in computer graphics and interactive techniques, and demonstrated that they represent an echelon of academic rigor second to none. The selection criteria for these invaluable findings are increasingly demanding, which ensures that SIGGRAPH Technical Papers influence much of the digitally mediated world in theory and in practice. The ultimate goal of the Art Gallery and Art Papers is to raise the level of art and art writing at SIGGRAPH to that of the SIGGRAPH Technical Papers that remain at the very core of our community.

ACM and SIGGRAPH could not be more enthusiastic about our renewed collaboration with MIT Press and Leonardo. This Special Issue is the first of a multi-year agreement that will provide space for documentation of artistic works and art-based scholarly writing on conference themes. The Leonardo journal’s established reputation carries with it a reputation of scholarly excellence and innovation that is always one beat beyond the pulse of technology, art, and science. We are confident that our joint efforts will result in the kind of work that pushes boundaries while redefining what occurs at the collision of art and science.