Philosopher Élie During Distinguishes 'Bricoleurs' and 'Expérimentards' in Art-Science Experimentation

In a 2008 essay for artpress, philosopher Élie During categorizes artists engaging with experimental sciences into two groups: 'bricoleurs' and 'expérimentards'. 'Expérimentards' adopt the aesthetic of science—using metaphors from quantum mechanics, string theory, or cosmology—but reduce experimentation to a style or mental projection, often producing 'synthetic experiments' that are more imaginary than operational. 'Bricoleurs', by contrast, focus on concrete devices and operations, recombining heterogeneous elements (practices, discourses, spatial arrangements) to perturb existing dispositifs and generate new sensations and ideas. During cites Julien Prévieux and Fabrice Hyber as examples. He argues that genuine artistic experimentation, like scientific experimentation, must construct artificial situations to formulate problems, not merely 'try things out'. Drawing on Isabelle Stengers' reading of Galileo's use of the conditional-imperative 'dovrebbe' (it should), During insists that experimentation in art requires a defined problem and cannot be reduced to open-ended process or romantic posture. He teaches aesthetics at the École nationale des beaux-arts de Lyon.