Fugue and Variations on Some Themes in Art and Science

Abstract

This paper describes the development over several years of Fugue, an art|science audio-visual piece inspired by the human immune system. It has been presented in a number of different contexts – as an artwork, as an aid to the public understanding of science, and as a potential tool for scientists – and it is still under development. Stimulated by the response of some participants to the interactive and immersive version of Fugue, by recent discoveries in the field of neuroplasticity, and by contemporary analysis and criticism of some adverse effects of the digital revolution, a possible new category of art, neuroplastic art, is identified and briefly discussed.