Definitions

Art

Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author's imaginative, conceptual idea, or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.

Music, theatre, film, dance, and other performing arts, as well as literature and other media such as interactive media, are included in a broader definition of art or the arts. Until the 17th century, art referred to any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences.

Practically speaking, art is a product of expression. In the abstract, art is often practiced either to make sense of our reality or to create a manifestation of the consciousness of the artist itself.

Science

Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.

Modern science is typically divided into three major branches that consist of the natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, and physics), which study nature in the broadest sense; the social sciences (e.g., economics, psychology and sociology), which study individuals and societies; and the formal sciences (e.g., logic, mathematics and theoretical computer science), which study abstract concepts.

Essentially, science is an exploration of the world around us in an effort to find universal, indisputable truths.

History

• Old Stone Age / Paleolithic Period (40,000 BP)

Ever since the humankind discovered fire and learned how to utilize it, this early scientific breakthrough has influenced prehistoric art in more ways than one. Fire provided light, light provided the possibility of drawing inside the caves. These drawings have influenced the early art, which later influenced the ancient masters, and so on and so forth.

• Ancient Egypt (3100 BC)

The pyramids are probably one of the best examples of the intertwining relationship between art and science. Built as the tombs for Pharaohs, and apart from them being the obvious examples of creativity and science working together, the pyramids hid the sarcophagi, the vessels for corpses. These antiquities were made with so much care, so much precision, and with such regard to art and science. The careful layout of the designs, the color schemes, the decorative ornaments and iconography of religious symbols, mixed with the impeccable precision of applied scientific methods of the time, such as that of mummification, makes these coffins one of the prime examples of the inseparability of scientific research and the artistic expression. Another wonderful example is the hieroglyphs, astounding works of art that were used as a means of writing down ideas, calculations, and so on.

• Ancient Rome (753 BC)

Fast forward to ancient Rome and its glorious Pantheon, and the fact that it still stands even though it was built in the 2nd century AD. Made out of concrete, without the reinforcement of steel, it is proudly occupying Piazza della Rotonda, despite the earthquakes, weather, Barbarian invasions, and the mere fact that Mother Nature has no mercy towards the man-made constructions. Scientists have been perplexed for many years, trying to figure out the secret of its longevity, and the new study has shown that the ingredient of Roman concrete was the blend of volcanic ash and limestone used in the mortar. The special durable mineral called strätlingitewas discovered in the analyses, and the crystals formed in the process of mixing helped prevent microscopic cracks from spreading, proving the evidence of the inseparable bond between scientists and artists of the time.

• The Renaissance (1300 AD)

• One cannot talk about art and science without mentioning the great Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian polymath who was the depiction of the blend between the two terms. He was an inventor, interested in painting, sculpture, music, architecture, science, mathematics, literature, anatomy, astronomy, geology, cartography, and engineering, among others. His approach to science was an artistic one; his approach to art was a scientific one. He believed that perception is the origin of all knowledge, he was the first one to combine the artistic point of view to study the details of his scientific findings. His research in the fields of aerodynamics and mathematics, found in his many sketches and journals, carry great artistic value and have inspired generation upon generation of both artists and scientists.
• From the beginning of the history of art up until the late 1800s, many artists focused on replicating our natural world. The principles of science, introduced by the work of theorists such as Leon Battista Alberti, created a method by which artists could perform this task. Rules such as proportion, light, and perspective gave artists boundaries for reconstructing our environment.

• 20th Century

• Many centuries later, Pablo Picasso followed in Da Vinci’s footsteps and combined artistic and scientific elements into his works. He has developed a special technique that was based on lines and shapes, on the dislocation of geometric figures, and the rejection of smoothness and the refinements of art subjects. Picasso’s Guernica is a two-dimensional work of art that presents the basis of science – the simple geometric shapes, fragmented, disfigured, and disarranged in an abstract fashion.
• The beginning of the 20th century brought the new medium of “moving pictures”, widely popularized in the works of Walt Disney in a, now iconic, Steamboat Willie, one of the first animated sound films ever made. The link between art and science is in the background of this groundbreaking cartoon, as the combination of synchronized sound effects and music required a great amount of scientific research. The whole cinematic art is actually a careful blend of artistic creation and science, owing its success to technology and the creative minds of filmmakers.

• 21st Century

Nowadays, there is no question of whether art and science really do work together. Almost everywhere we turn we can see the examples of this relationship they have been sharing for centuries. An example of a fantastic invention that linked these two spheres even further is the invention of 3D printers. In 3D printing, the layers of material are formed to create an object, under computer control. 3D printing technology, used by artists such as Rob and Nick Carter, who have created a replica of Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and a Romanian-born artist Ioan Florea, who has used printed plastic molds to shape liquid nano-metals into sculptures of massive size.

Similarities

• A recent study at University College London found that the brain of a mathematician reacts the same way to a beautiful equation as it does to an exquisite work of art or musical composition. (Same perception, same level of appreciation?)
• Both are dedicated to asking the big questions placed before us: “What is true? Why does it matter? How can we move society forward?” Both search deeply, and often wanderingly, for these answers.
• Artists and scientists tend to approach problems with a similar open-mindedness and inquisitiveness — they both do not fear the unknown, preferring leaps to incremental steps.

Differences

• Art is often introspective while science is extrospective. One might say art is used to understand the consciousness while science is used to understand the external reality.
• Arthur Schopenhauer argues that science is concerned with change, whereas art contemplates the eternal.
• Because science is predicated on forever reaching into the unknown, it is therefore inherently forward-leaning and unfinishable, whereas art is about resting the attention on a particular object and beholding it with absolute presence.

The Relationship Between Art And Science

• From the time of the ancient Greeks, through the Renaissance and Enlightenment, right into the present day, it is often a quest for beauty that drives the forward thinkers of each generation to crave new knowledge and perspective. Now, as scientific knowledge becomes ever more complex, art continues to play a vital role in translating the enigmatic and increasingly abstract language of science for the masses. Artists serve as great partners in the communication of scientific research.
• Science and the arts are often considered to be at opposite ends of the spectrum. We tend to think of them as left brain versus right brain, analysis versus creativity. But the highest degree of art requires thoughtful analysis, and the leading edge of science is highly creative.
• In reality, the two are so closely intertwined as to be almost indistinguishable at various periods in history. What is most fascinating is that these tend to be the most productive periods in history, often resulting in a paradigm shift in both areas. In the past, during major periods of enlightenment, scientific revolutions have often been accompanied by an artistic boom.
• “Art is the queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world. ” -Da Vinci
• Digitization is speeding up the convergence between art and technology and provides a conducive environment for the combination of the two fields. At the crossroads between science and art, new forms of expression and discovery are appearing at every turn. These new developments are leveraging the combined power of the rigorous scientific approach with the subjectivity and experimentalism of creative arts.

Introduction Of STEAM

STEAM is an approach which uses STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the arts to foster learning that is both skill- and process-based. STEAM brings together the critical components of how and what, and laces them together with why.

• It is already being championed across the pond in the US, spearheaded by academics and students at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD),
• The demand for STEAM resources has picked up in the past few years. (growing interest)
• The iconic educational program, Sesame Street, recently announced its 43rd season will incorporate the arts into its existing STEM focus.

Art In Malaysia

Positive

• Globally, creative arts industries are growing faster than others (arts industries generate £84bn a year in the UK economy).
• It was during Mr. Mahathir’s time that the state built a national theater, a national art gallery — both planned under earlier administrations — and a home for the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers.
• There is an increasing level of interest in art and a growing mindfulness of art as an asset class. (Export value of the country’s art sector is expected to rise to RM3.8 million this year, from RM3.3 million recorded last year.)
• The performing arts industry in Malaysia is a growing sector with enormous potential. Talents, venues as well as support from private and public sectors are increasing, resulting in the growing appeal of performing arts to the public at large.
• There have been in recent years quite a number of newly established art spaces and galleries. These galleries provide a vital link between artist and art collector. Then there are the art fairs, concentrated events featuring Malaysian and international artists, both commercial and independent. (RIUH, Urbanscapes, Cendana)
• A culture of making art, and the appreciation of the arts, has been steadily growing in Malaysia. This evolution and growth has been propelled by a burgeoning number of young artists coming together to form art collectives, creating independent, alternative spaces for other artists to develop and show their work.

Negative

• There is concern that the pressure to succeed in more traditionally ‘academic and theoretical’ subjects could see the arts sidelined.
• Official educational policy in Malaysia encourages a focus on 3Rs in primary education and places an extremely strong emphasis on science and technology in secondary education. As a result, school authorities, many parents and children have been indoctrinated to think of the sciences as superior and the arts as inferior. (lack of awareness + traditional thinking?)
• Knowledge of the arts in Malaysia is still void and lacking.
• KKEKWA (Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage) fails to play a more active role in promoting visual arts, performing arts as well as dance and cultural arts.
• Many Malaysians neglect the arts, believing that career options aligned with the sciences are just more financially realistic and profitable.
• Art exhibitions do get audiences, but corresponding to the current economy — as lovers of the arts are struggling to juggle on what and where to spend their disposable cash on. Because the arts are not seen as an investment in this country, they are not given enough priority.
• The art industry in Malaysia is arguably still at its infancy stage and while there are efforts to raise awareness of art appreciation, there is a need for them to be stepped up.

Science In Malaysia

Positive

• In a survey conducted by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), most respondents (84% of them) stated that they were interested or very interested in “the use of new inventions and technologies”, followed by “new medical discoveries” (79%), “innovation” (78%) and “new scientific discoveries” (76%).
• Compared to 2008 findings, the percentage of very interested responses in selected science, technology and innovation (STI) related issues had more than doubled in 2014.
• Television was the most popular media in Malaysia, and 89% of respondents also used it as the source of information for learning STI. The next most popular media for information related to STI was print newspapers (63%), followed by internet (53%), radio (43%), books (39%) and print magazines (24%). In terms of the most reliable source of information for STI, about half of the respondents (49%) picked television, followed by internet (19%), print newspapers (13%) and books (9%).
• Official educational policy in Malaysia encourages a focus on 3Rs in primary education and places an extremely strong emphasis on science and technology in secondary education.
• Aquariums, zoos, museums, and Petrosains facilitate the learning of science in a fun and engaging way.
• The Malaysian Higher Education Ministry is also committed to promoting STEM education. It has organised research and development exhibitions, and published books on science and math. The Ministry regularly conducts technology competitions to promote the awareness and importance of STEM.

Negative

• Malaysian students are losing interest in science. Only 21% of those in upper secondary chose to study science subjects in 2014, while only 15,000 students in local universities have chosen STI as their mainstream study.
• Literacy in Science among Malaysian students is low.
• There might be a perception that science subjects are more difficult than arts (business).
• Malaysian students find the sciences boring.
• Less than half of all respondents (46%) were able to correctly answer the factual knowledge questions in the 2014 survey. The public’s average knowledge levels of STI hovered below 50% over the past 16 years (1998 till 2014).
• Most of the STI related government programmes had a low participation rate of below 2%.

STEAM in Malaysia

Negative

• Lol apa tu.
• Lack of awareness regarding the importance of arts in creating a more holistic learning environment for students.
• More emphasis placed on STEM subjects.
• The general public in Malaysia believes that art and science are two separate entities that cannot be combined together.
• Lack of knowledge regarding both STEM and arts.
• Not many opportunities in the education system (from primary school to tertiary education) for students to be exposed to STEAM.

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Brand Name

360° ArtScience Festival

• Holistic and comprehensive perspective on both arts and science.
• 360° connotes math, but can also refer to circles that are frequently used in design.
• Circles represent connection and unity (perfect shape to represent both arts and science)

Big Idea

“Same same”

• Same same, but different: means something is functionally or substantially the same as something else, but differs in method of implementation, or in minor details.
• To show the target audience that arts and science are more alike than they think.

Personality

• Creative and innovative
• Forward-thinking
• Diverse
• Crossing traditional barriers
• Exciting

Brand Goals

• Increase awareness about the similarities and relationship between arts and science
• Generate positive public interest towards this relatively new topic
• Connect people of different backgrounds through the bridging of arts and science
• Deepen knowledge about these fields through memorable, hands-on experiences

Brand Objectives

• Create a series of timed posters and videos uploaded on social media platforms
• Host free pop-up, “made-for-Instagram” exhibits (that feature art + science installations) that are trending among target audience
• Feature various artworks, installations and new technology at the festival that consumers can interact with
• Host lectures, talks and performances by experts of both the arts and science field (bridge connection between art and science communities)

Target Audience

• Gen Z (age 13-23)

• Roughly 25% of the population
• The average Gen Zer received their first mobile phone at age 10.3 years. Many of them grew up playing with their parents' mobile phones or tablets. They have grown up in a hyper-connected world, and the smartphone is their preferred method of communication. On average, they spend at least 3 hours a day on their mobile device.
• Gen Z is a generation of highly-educated, technologically-savvy, innovative thinkers. They are also known to be open-minded and adaptable.
• An authentic digital and social presence as well as a slew of complimentary digital experiences in which Gen Z fans can engage with and share their brand allegiance is perhaps the best currency a retailer could generate.
• Generation Z is much more prone to trust peer reviews (word-of-mouth) over ad campaigns. In the post-social era, all word-of-mouth experiences (low budget impact, which equals a higher ROI) happen on social platforms first and foremost as opposed to in-person only.
• Large number of young Malaysians now interested in new innovations. They like learning about it but not through traditional sources like books. (prefer hands-on interactions/videos)
• There has been a steady, growing appreciation of the arts in Malaysia.

Customer Journey Map

Engagement

• Announcement of event

• Social media
• Website

• Marketing

• Timed posters on social media
• Promo videos
• Flyers

• Pop-up exhibits

• Encourage word-of-mouth sharing
• Attract target audience
• Generate pre-event buzz

Preparation

• Gather info

• Website
• Event app
• Social media

• Booking tickets

• Event app/website
• QR code entry pass
• Quick and easy
• FOC

• Getting there

• Strategic location
• Public transport
• Directional signs to event
• Location banners

Experience

• Interactive exhibits

• Installation art
• Multisensory exhibits
• Computer-generated artworks
• Try out of new tech

• Talks/lectures

• Industry experts
• Bridge connections
• Encourage discussion
• Deeper level of knowledge

• Performances

• Combines art and science
• Excites target audience
• Established performers

Post-event

• Memories

• Photos/videos on phone
• Merch
• Swag packages

• Share

• Social media
• Friend/family
• Review sites

Reference List

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