Artists, professors, and students from various universities will gather at the University of Puget Sound November 3–4, 2023, for a two-day symposium, Flow: Art and Ecology in the Time of Global Warming. This event, supported by a Northwest Five Mellon Engage Grant, aims to explore the connections between art, ecology, and place-based knowledge in the context of climate change while fostering community engagement and collaboration.
The event will include a Kittredge Gallery exhibition called "In the Flow: Art, Ecology, and Pedagogy," along with workshops, conversations, and presentations exploring the intersection of art and ecology. In this interactive programming, attendees will engage with different materials like dyes, pigments, and mycelium while reflecting on their identity and connection to their surroundings. Additionally, participants will delve into how language and categorization can impact the way we feel about our place in the world.
Co-organized by nine professors, artists, and educators, Flow encourages reflection, discussion, and interactive experiences. Key themes and questions include the role of artists as healers and makers in navigating the current moment, approaches to reparative work and re-imagining through creative practices, and using local knowledge to build relationships and address issues.
“Co-creating this symposium has been an incredible exercise in deep collaboration and listening,” said Elise Richman, professor of art and art history. “Our planning process mirrors the values and aspirations that infuse the symposium's programming. We are so excited to explore place-based thinking through scholarship, art, and embodied, multi-sensory workshops and hope this symposium catalyzes future collaborations and sustained connections.”
The program will bring together participants from various universities, including Puget Sound, Lewis and Clark College, University of Washington, Western Washington and Whitman College. Representatives from different institutions and organizations will also contribute to the symposium, enriching the discussions and perspectives.
For more information, please visit placebasedthinking.com.
