What is innovation? This reflection on the meaning of the concept of innovation opens the series of meetings that form part of the project entitled “Dialogues for critical innovation”. The project is a bid to bring humanities into the debate about the values of novelty, underlining the importance of culture and creativity as concepts that complement the notion of technological innovation.

The Círculo de Bellas Artes and the Autonomous University of Madrid, in collaboration with the Banco Sabadell Foundation, organised a series of talks between academic research professionals and leading figures from the cultural, political and social spheres. Nadia Calviño, David Trueba, Fernando León de Aranoa, Christina Rosenvinge and Sacha Hormaechea have been some of the voices that have taken part in these conversations during the last ten meetings, exploring concepts such as tradition, novelty, progress, freedom or transfer.

“Humanities, culture and creativity can contribute a lot to developing another notion of innovation complementary to technological innovation, and I am sure that these talks will achieve that” says Valerio Rocco, Director of the Círculo de Bellas Artes.

From a cinematographic perspective, film-maker David Trueba reflects on how “Innovation is something profound that can only be understood with the passage of time, it has to leave its mark to mean anything”. “To innovate means to make mistakes, but we live in a society that is so afraid of getting things wrong, nobody wants to be the first to make a mistake”, says chef and food photographer Sacha Hormaechea.

Innovation is not necessarily technological, rather, it is often part of a critical reflection about our environment, our past and our traditions. It allows us to see a problem from another point of view and, by doing so, take a step forward in art as well.  “At this time perhaps the major innovation in art has been understanding that it is a commodity”, reflects University Dean Patricia Martínez.

Explore all of the “Dialogues for critical innovation” at the following link:

https://www.circulobellasartes.com/innovacion/dialogos-innovacion-critica/