Ellen Oh, the Director of Interdisciplinary Arts Programs at Stanford’s Office of the Vice President for the Arts, is championing the fusion of artistic creativity and academic inquiry. With a focus on fostering collaboration between Stanford’s academic community and visiting artists, Oh is redefining the boundaries of interdisciplinary arts.
In a recent interview, Oh delves into the significance of interdisciplinary arts, defining it as the practice of integrating arts into other fields. This integration not only sparks discourse but also prompts new questions and engages individuals with significant issues in innovative ways. Oh emphasizes the reciprocal nature of interdisciplinary work, where artists gain inspiration from cutting-edge research while bringing fresh perspectives to academic disciplines.
Oh plays a pivotal role in creating systems and infrastructure conducive to successful collaborations. She highlights the importance of openness, time, space, communication tools, and funding in making interdisciplinary work thrive. Oh aims to break the mold by encouraging artists to collaborate with science labs, engineering departments, and healthcare spaces, emphasizing the mutual benefits that such partnerships can bring.
Under Oh’s leadership, Stanford has witnessed transformative outcomes from interdisciplinary arts initiatives. The quarterly Art + Tech Salons, which bring together faculty, students, and visiting artists at the intersection of art and technology, have become a hub for community building and knowledge exchange. The Stanford Visiting Artist Fund, an interdisciplinary grant, has facilitated impactful collaborations between artists and diverse academic departments, leading to research, sculptures, ethical software development, and performances.
The academic environment at Stanford provides a fertile ground for interdisciplinary collaboration. With state-of-the-art research centers, labs, libraries, maker spaces, and a community of thought leaders, the university offers an ideal space for ideation and creation. However, Oh acknowledges the challenges in navigating the siloed nature of academic institutions and the need for collaborators to find common ground amid busy schedules and competing priorities.
Oh’s understanding of interdisciplinary arts has evolved over time. Initially perceived as the combination of two different art forms, it has now transcended to artists collaborating with every discipline. The recognition of artists’ practice as research and the shift towards co-creation and deep integration of art research from the project’s inception mark a new era in interdisciplinary work.
As Ellen Oh continues to champion interdisciplinary arts at Stanford, the university stands at the forefront of a transformative creative ecosystem, where artists and academics come together to push the boundaries of innovation, social change, and cultural understanding.
