The Human Feather

Exploring the relationship between art and science in contemporary society, this book brings together two leading figures in their fields: internationally renowned artist Pierre Huyghe and molecular embryologist Ali Brivanlou of Rockefeller University.

The idea that art and science are distinct disciplines is a false dichotomy—widely acknowledged in theory and speculated anecdotally, but rarely investigated in practice. The Human Feather: Pierre Huyghe and Ali Brivanlou on Art and Science moves beyond the abstract. Through over two years of long-term participant-observation research conducted by the author, a cultural anthropologist, this narrative nonfiction/ethnography demonstrates the potential of the social sciences to bridge the 'two cultures' and offers unique insights into how these fields are aligned for collaboration. Told through lively dialogue, the book reveals the day-to-day norms and practices, the real lives and relationships that both enable and constrain these two men—as ideal representatives of their fields. The increasing recognition of the porosity of disciplinary boundaries—as well as those between the human, non-human/nature, and technology—is brought to life in this insightful and engaging work.

Guaranteed to generate lively discussions both within and outside of the classroom, this book leads the way in demonstrating how the social sciences – grounded in scholarly theory and methods – contribute to new ways of narrative storytelling about contemporary issues to attract new audiences and reach across academic silos.