When art, society and science meet

The focus for this meeting follows from recent developments and discussions in the Dutch cultural field, especially about the relation between arts, culture and other domains in society.

As part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen), the Society of Arts was launched in 2014 as a place for artists to share ideas with professionals in science and other artistic disciplines. The Society focuses on the role of the arts in society; and the relationship between science and the arts. This launch also fits the trend appointed by the WRR (Scientific Council for Government Policy) in their recent publication ‘Cultuur herwaarderen’ (Reappraising Culture) about the value of culture and strengthening connections to the public and society.

Pauline van Dongen
In this public meeting When art, society and science meet we approach this subject playfully by asking fashion designer Pauline van Dongen to guide us into her world where she researches the body in a technologically textured space. After graduating from ArtEZ, Academy of the Arts in Arnhem, the Netherlands, Pauline started her own design studio in 2010. Pauline operates a meticulous research of the behavior of experimental and high-tech materials, combining new technologies with traditional techniques to constantly innovate craftsmanship.

Working closely with companies from the field of science and innovation, Pauline aims to merge fashion and technology giving life to scientific creations.

Pauline van Dongen caught international attention with her project Wearable Solar, which integrates flexible solar cells in fashion. Her recent Solar Shirt, developed in collaboration with Holst Centre, was launched at South by SouthWest (Austin, Texas) and ignited conversations about the sustainability of the fashion industry, our global need for connectivity and continuous power, as well as the potential of harnessing sustainable energy through your clothing.

Her latest design ‘Phototrope’ is an illuminated running shirt. The design, which integrates LED-ribbons behind prismatic foils has been created in collaboration with Philips Research.Next to running her own studio, Pauline is also a PhD researcher at the TU/e within the programme ‘Crafting Wearables’, funded by NWO.

De Hollanders
After some reflections on the presentation by Pauline van Dongen, theatre company De Hollanders will perform fragments of their new show ‘Meelopen’ (in English). De Hollanders is a young music theatre collective. They develop, commission and produce new work about current issues and themes about the world around us. De Hollanders collaborate with famous Dutch authors.