A creative workshop titled “Biochemistry of Emotions” will be organized in a non-disciplinary laboratory Alt lab on the 15–18 of February 2020, located in a new cultural center “Sodas 2123” (Vitebsko 21 & 23, Vilnius). The workshop invites everyone interested in the biological basis of empathy and interdisciplinary art projects.
A three day long workshop will be led by artists Hege Tapio and Mindaugas Gapševičius. On Saturday night neurobiologist Ramunė Grikšienė will talk about the neurobiological nature of emotions and Sunday will be devoted to practical experimentation with a professional molecular biologist. Besides trying to understand empathy, biochemical and physiological processes in the human body will be looked into. Participants will also work on their ideas, to be presented at the end of the workshop.
“In contemporary society which is favoring artificial intelligence, algorithm, logic and analytical processes, it seems important to reintroduce the concept of biology. Humans are built to function on a biological level – where our interaction with the world is run by a mutual response, where biochemistry triggers emotional responses and vice versa.” – says Hege Tapio, artist from Norway.
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Hege Tapio was born in 1973 in Norway. She lives and works in Stavanger, Norway. Since 2001 her artistic practice has pursued an interest in emerging media interconnecting art, new technology, and science. Her work has been exhibited and presented at conferences widely in Norway and internationally.
Mindaugas Gapševičius obtained his MA at Vilnius Academy of Arts in 1999, and his MPhil at Goldsmiths, University of London in 2016. Since 2016, he has been conducting PhD research at Bauhaus University, Weimar, where he holds an artistic associate chair. Gapševičius’ works question the creativity of machines, and do not presume humans are the only creative force. www.triple-double-u.com
Auksė Gaižauskaitė is an alumna of Vilnius University who specializes in Genetics and Molecular Biology. She has worked and trained in high profile scientific laboratories at Vilnius University Life Sciences Centre and at “Thermo Fisher Scientific” Vilnius’ division for more than four years now. She was a member of the “Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM” team, which won the Grand Prize in the largest, most prestigious, international Synthetic Biology Competition iGEM in 2017.
Ramunė Grikšienė currently works at the Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Science Center, Vilnius University. She does research in Psychophysiology (EEG, ECG, EMG). Her current project is related to the effect of sex steroids, including hormonal contraceptives, on cognitive functions and emotions of young healthy women.
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Event program:
Saturday, the 15th of February @18:00. Open discussion on neurobiological nature of emotions with Vilnius University Life Sciences Centre neurobiologist, docent dr. Ramunė Grikšienė
Sunday, the 16th of February all day. Practical workshop
Monday, the 17th of February all day. Work on ideas
Tuesday, the 18th of February @19:00. Presentation of the results
Location: Alt lab laboratory (Vitebsko str. 23, room 304, Vilnius, cultural center “Sodas 2123”)
Time: 15-18 of February 2020, from 12 AM to 6 PM.
If you would like to take a part, please register by the email o-o@o-o.lt. Do not forget to include a brief motivation, why you are interested in this workshop.
Organiser: Institutio media
Supported by: Nordic Council of Ministers
Partners: Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association, Synthetic Biology organization “SinBio”
More information:
www.o-o.lt [1]/alt-lab/
Facebook: Alt lab (@TheAltLab)
Instagram: @altlab_
Photo: Merry CRISPR workshop, Bioart Society 2017 by Erich Berger