Research during the Amsterdam Light Festival #12
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The theme of the twelfth edition of the Amsterdam Light Festival (ALF) 2023-2024 is "LOADING... Revealing Art, AI and Tech". More than twenty artists reflect with their light art on the effect of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) on our daily lives.
The festival structurally integrates knowledge and research into its programming. For example, there is the annual education project, which during this edition is led by artist Yasser Ballemans. Together with more than 1,000 Amsterdam primary school students, they work towards a work of art through an educational program. During this edition, a research is being conducted with the University of Groningen into the impact of art and how people experience art.
The education project
This annual project is part of a collaboration between the Amsterdam Light Festival and the municipality of Amsterdam. Primary school students from all parts of the city are introduced to (light) art by following a lesson program under the guidance of an artist. Together they create a work of art that can actually be seen at the festival. The artwork and workshops connect the festival theme with the history and heritage of the city, and the restoration of bridges and quay walls, an important theme in Amsterdam. Here you can read more about the design of the curriculum and the educational goals.
Research into impact and experience
The question 'what does art do to people?' is central to a large-scale study by the iMEMA (Interface for Measuring the Experience and Meaning of Art) research group at the University of Groningen. In collaboration with the ALF, they conduct a large audience measurement about how visitors experience the light artworks and how they influence their emotions and thoughts. In this article, researcher Ralf Cox tells more about their work.
Sources: Amsterdam Light Festival; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen