Sentient Creatures lectures

Between 2003 to 2009, three series of Sentient Creatures lectures were organized by Waag and Canadian artist Graham Smith. Several renowned international speakers showed the new developments in art and technology, internet and robotics.

The third and final series of lectures in 2008 were concentrating on bio-art; artists working with living organisms. Speakers in this final series were Oron Catts, Joe Davis, Adam Zaretsky and Eduardo Kac. In some of the lectures, by using an advanced videoconferencing technology, some speakers were virtually present on the Telepresence Chair.

The lectures could be followed by a live audience in the Theatrum Anatomicum of the Waag and through a live video stream (KillerTV). The video streams are archived at the project website. In 2003, the first Sentient Creatures series were organized as part of the Connected-programme, which was aimed primarily at networked live performances. It brought together a group of artists and scientists researching the evolution of technology and art. A second series started in 2007.

Sentient Creatures was ahead of its time when it first started off, and since then there has been a worldwide evolution in art and technology, where artists move towards technology-based artwork. Also, more and more art schools are focused on robotics and networked (performance) art nowadays.