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In 1895 when the Lumiere brothers unveiled their cinematographic camera, many scientists were elated. Scientists hoped that the machine would fulfill a desire that had driven research for nearly half a century: that of capturing the world in its own image. But their elation was surprisingly short-lived, and many researchers quickly distanced themselves from the new medium. Those who had worked to make the dream come true found that their efforts had been subverted. This conference focuses on the desire to build a cinematographic camera, with the purpose of elucidating how dreams and reality mix in the development of science and technology. It is about desired machines, their often unexpected results, and about how the interplay between what “is” (the technical), what “ought” (the ethical), and what “could” be (the fantastical) drives scientific research.
Jimena Canales, Joana Pimenta, Lindsey Lodhie and Kyle Parry
Thursday February 23 4pm
Graduate Program in Film and Visual Studies
Lecture Hall of the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts
Department of Visual and Environmental Studies
Harvard University
24 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Tel 617.495.3251 Fax 617.495.8197
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