The Arts in the context of today's Darwinian Theory of Evolution

Colloquium organized by MIM, IMéRA, Leonardo/Olats,
Alphabetville and Zinc-ECM

Marseille (France), October 22, 23, 24, 2009

Jean-Pierre Changeux in his book Raison et Plaisir (Reason and pleasure) published in 1994 by Odile Jacob and republished in 2006 suggested a Darwinian theory of pictorial creation and of the way paintings are perceived. According to Jean-Pierre Changeux, the brain of an artist creates haphazardly shapes, colors, gestures, etc. and only survive those shapes etc. which can enter long-term memory. This combination of chance and survival are characteristic of a Darwinian theory. Those elements which survive are called memes (pronounced /miːms/, in French : mèmes). These memes go from the artist to the onlooker who perceives them. The memes of an artist constitute his style…when they are shared by several artists they constitute an artistic movement…

MIM has been developing for several years research on the shortest element of music able to transmit a meaning such an element is called a UST (Semantic Time Unit). MIM defined 19 of such units : Chute (falling), Qui tourne (turning), Elan (surging), Contracté-étendu (contracted-extended), Lourdeur (heaviness), En flottement (floating), etc., A musical work can in general be analysed as a succession of such units, each one lasting a few seconds.

A composer usually has preference for certain USTs which he uses in his compositions. These USTs are perceived by the listener of the music (see this page). Thus it seem to us that these USTs can be considered as musical memes.

Another evolutionary theory of artistic creation has been developed by Pierre Mounoud and Jacques Mandelbrojt who analysed artistic creation with the concepts of assimilation and accommodation introduced by Piaget both to describe the evolution of living organisms in their environment and the evolution of science.

MIM joined with The international art, science and technology magazine LEONARDO/Olats, IMéRA (Institut Méditerraneen de Recherches Avancées), Alphabetville and Zinc-ECM to organise this colloquium. In the context of Darwinian Year (2009), it’s about to re examine cultural activity and the arts in the context of the Theory of Evolution as it is understood today.

The colloquium takes place in Alcazar and La Friche (Marseille)
Free entrance

CALL for PARTICIPATION
AN INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM :

The Arts in the context of today's Darwinian Theory of Evolution

Dates : Marseille, France, Oct 22-24 2009

Colloquium organized by MIM and in partnership with IMéRA, LEONARDO/Olats, Alphabetville and ZINC-ECM

Proposals : Abstracts due April 30 2009, 400 words plus cv to email address : colloque_darwin@yahoo.fr
or postal address :
MIM
Cité de la musique – 4, rue Bernard du Bois
BP 62042
F-13201 MARSEILLE cedex 1 (France)

Proposals for video presentation will be considered

Presentation may be in French or English. Presentation in English should be accompanied by a full written translation in French.

Further details on the symposium : MIM

Free registration

Scientific Committee :
Jacques Mandelbrojt, painter, theoretical physicist, professor emeritus, University of Provence, MIM
Roger Malina, director of research at Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, CNRS, executive editor of Leonardo
Emmanuel Girard-Reydet, IMéRA
Colette Tron, Alphabetville
Marcel Formosa, composer, MIM
Marcel Frémiot, composer, musicologist, MIM

Since its publication, Darwin's Origin of the Species, has been widely debated in its cultural context. In this colloquium we wish to re examine cultural activity and the arts in the context of the Theory of Evolution as it is understood today.
We solicit proposed papers from scientists, artists and composers, scholars in the humanities and social sciences.

Invited Speakers Include :

Jean-Pierre Changeux in his book Raison et Plaisir (Reason and pleasure) published in 1994 by Odile Jacob suggested a Darwinian theory of pictorial creation and of the way paintings are perceived. The brain of an artist creates shapes, colors, gestures, etc.and only survive those shapes etc which can enter long-term memory. This combination of chance and survival are characteristic of a Darwinian theory. Those elements which survive are called memes. The memes of an artist constitute his style… when they are shared by several artists they constitute an artistic movement…

Another approach is espoused by Dominique Lestel who argues that cultural activity is not specific to humans but emerges progressively during the evolution of life forms. In books such as Les origines animales de la culture (Flammarion, 2001), L'animal singulier (Seuil, 2004) he examines the origins, nature and evolutionary effects of cultural activity in non humans.

Another evolutionary theory of artistic creation has been developed by Pierre Mounoud and Jacques Mandelbrojt who analysed artistic creation with the concepts of assimilation and accommodation introduced by Piaget both to describe the evolution of living organisms in their environment and the evolution of science.

MIM has been developing for several years research on the shortest element of music able to transmit a meaning such an element is called a UST (Semantic Time Unit). A piece of music can in general be analysed as a succession of such units, each one lasting a few seconds.A composer usually has preference for certain USTs which he uses in his compositions.USTs can be considered as musical memes. Several composers and members of MIM will present including : Marcel Fremiot, composer and musicologist, Martine Timsit-Berthier, psychophysiologist, Philippe Bootz (poet, specialized in Hypermedia, Maitre de Conference University of Paris 8), Frank Dufour (Assistant Professor at the Sound Design Department of the University of Texas, Dallas, USA)