Focus vs. Distraction addressed the current popular obsession with attention and the coveted commodity of focus. We examine this issue obliquely from the various perspectives of four speakers—an artist, an educator, a neuroscientist, and an illusionist—as well as our salon audience.
Watch the videos from the salon and explore some of these questions: Are we experiencing a crisis in our ability to focus, or just an evolution of the natural skill sets required for the contemporary world? Must focus be jump-started from the outside in the contemporary museum experience? How can the viewer retain a sense of agency and freedom in their approach to a work of art?
The salon took place on 11 December 2012