Celebrating 40 Years of Leonardo

Forty years ago in Paris, a group of artists, scientists and engineers got together and decried the lack of professional venues where emerging work bridging the two cultures could be presented, debated and promoted. Frank Malina, himself a research engineer and a professional artist, convinced publisher Robert Maxwell of Pergamon Press to take on the challenge of publishing a peer-reviewed scholarly art-science-technology journal, the first time such a project had been attempted.

To date we have published the work of more than 5,500 artists, researchers and scholars. We wish we could bring this community together for a celebration, but in keeping with our networked times, we are collaborating with groups around the world on a variety of events.

Watch an interview with Executive Editor Roger Malina as he explains more about the history and activities of the Leonardo community.

LIFE BEGINS AT 40! As we celebrate this remarkable occasion through the many events and projects listed below, we invite your support with a donation. Your contribution is a crucial investment in our search for the next generation of artists working with science and technology -- the new "Leonardos." To make a secure donation through PayPal or to find out other ways of sending in your donation, visit our donations page.

Leonardo Day at UC Berkeley (June 3, 2008)

Leonardo/ISAST hosted "Remix: From Science to Art and Back in the Digital Age," a full day of panels and events on Tuesday, June 3rd at Berkeley Big Bang 2008--a three-day symposium and festival of new media and art hosted by the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive and the Berkeley Center for New Media. leonardo.info/isast/announcements/UCB-NewMedia-June08.html

Leonardo Celebrates Leonardo da Vinci

Special Section of Leonardo, 2007--2008, edited by David Carrier

What, building upon Leonardo's ways of thinking, can artists and scientists tell each other today? Full call for papers: leonardo.info/isast/journal/calls/davincicall.html

Leonardo in Argentina

The Electronic Arts Research and Experimenting Centre (CEIArtE) at the National University of Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is organizing the "Research and the Arts" series of lectures and workshops running through 2007 and 2008 and is joining Leonardo in its 40th anniversary celebration. http://www.ceiarte.untref.edu.ar

Leonardo in New York (Feb 2007)

Panels, events and exhibition organized by the Leonardo Education Forum at the 2007 College Art Association meeting. leonardo.info/isast/lef.html.

Leonardo in Dallas (Feb 2008)

Panels, events and exhibition organized by the Leonardo Education Forum at the 2008 College Art Association meeting. leonardo.info/isast/lef.html.

Mutamorphosis: Challenging Arts and Sciences (Prague, Nov 7-10, 2007)

Leonardo will co-sponsor a conference and exhibitions in Prague, organized by the International Centre for Art and New Technologies (CIANT): www.mutamorphosis.org.

Lovely Weather in Republic of Ireland

We have initiated a three year collaboration with Regional Cultural Centre Letterkenny, Donegal County, Republic of Ireland to Host a Leonardo 40th Anniversary Exhibition and collaborate on an Art and Climate Change Project "Lovely Weather" http://www.donegalculture.com/

Leonardo in India

The Leonardo/OLATS is working with groups in Bangalore, India for an symposium and workshop; we welcome contact with Indian artists and scientists who might wish to be involved.

Leonardo in Spain: Expanding the Space (October 2006)

Leonardo was co-sponsor of Expanding the Space, a conference and workshop on space exploration and the arts: expandingthespace.net.

Leonardo in Scotland (September 2008)

Leonardo/Olats will co-sponsor Less Remote: The Futures of Space Exploration, a symposium on the futures of space exploration in the context of the arts and humanities: lessremote.org.

All 40 years of Leonardo Articles Now Available On-Line

Volumes 1-33 available through JSTOR: jstor.org

Volumes 34-current volume available through MIT Press: mitpressjournals.org.

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Birthday wishes from some members of the Leonardo Community:

"For 40 years Leonardo has been at the forefront of experimental art. Way before the larger art world embraced video and new media, Leonardo had already championed these and other, emergent art forms. Readers of Leonardo, and participants in Leonardo events, have always learned about innovative developments before they hit the mainstream. Leonardo has played a central role in fostering debate and development of experimental art, such as bio and space art, to name a few, not to mention the fact that its books, journals, and websites document and archive the achievements of leading artists and theorists. It has been a pleasure to see Leonardo evolve and expand into new fields, in perpetual dialogue with social and cultural transformations. Happy birthday Leonardo!"

-- Eduardo Kac, Leonardo Editorial Board member; editor, Signs of Life: BioArt and Beyond (2007, Leonardo Books/MIT Press)

“How many organizations can move with the times - especially during the changes of the last four decades? Leonardo has always been there at the frontier. Artists started exploring video - Leonardo was there. They started experimenting with computers, robots, algorithmic composition, AI, alternative interfaces - Leonardo was there. The extraordinary world network of artists, theorists and scientists promises that Leonardo will be there when the next developments emerge. Leonardo has been critical in my own practice - letting me know what others are doing and providing a place to share my discoveries.”

-- Stephen Wilson, Leonardo Governing Board member and author of Information Arts (2001, Leonardo Books/MIT Press)

"There are three main reasons for which Leonardo has been important to me for the last 40 years. Firstly, it reinforced my long-standing friendly relationship with the Malina family since Frank discussed with me the launching of the Leonardo journal early in 1967 and Roger gave me a helping hand in the publication of my Leonardo book From Technological to Virtual Art at the beginning of 2007. Secondly, consulting the Leonardo journal and sites during 40 years provided a background for my different activities: teaching, writing and exhibiting art works connected with science and technology. And finally, belonging to the Leonardo community during that period gave me a feeling that I am not alone in trying to pursue my open-ended research."

-- Frank Popper, Leonardo Editorial Board member; author, From Technological to Virtual Art (2007, Leonardo Books/MIT Press)

"Leonardo is the preeminent network of all things related to the interface of art, science, and technology studies. Serving as a stimulating nexus of professional artist-researchers, cutting-edge publications, and international mega-events, Leonardo nurtures into being the most influential thinkers of our time. In a word: priceless."

-- Mark Amerika, author, META/DATA (2007, Leonardo Books/MIT Press)

"....congratulations on Leonardo's remarkable 40th anniversary. What an immensely important resource Leonardo has been to those of us in the art, science and technology community and I'm proud to have been in some ways part of it over the years. I'm sure its importance and influence will continue to grow and that it will make an even greater contribution in the future."

-- Robert Russett, University of Louisiana

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JOIN THE LEONARDO NETWORK

Joining the Leonardo community puts you in contact with a unique community of professionals working across the boundaries of art, science and technology. Associate membership comes with a number of benefits including a subscription to Leonardo and Leonardo Music Journal and invitations to events throughout the year. Find out more!