Does data need to be wetter? What would happen if policy walked itself into soily existence? Why is ‘love’ a dirty word in science? If we could sonify the evidence, whose voices might we hear clearer? What do snuffly truffle pigs and Jodie Foster have to do with fieldwork?
The Department of Artecology is a research club exploring the role of art within the discipline of ecology, ecological caretaking and ecological decision making in England. This is less about artists interpreting and illustrating information after the fact, more about artists writing the research briefs, generating the insights and gathering-critiquing the ‘data’ and ‘evidence’. We’ll poke and peel back current forms of environmental management to find sticky spaces to intervene and imagine otherwise. If we think of research as a kind of cultural event and research-making as deeply political, how might research design, data capture and documentation be a creative and mischievous space for artists to stretch or surprise the status quo?
Over a series of in-person research gatherings expect provocations from theorists to tickle our thinking; thought-do experiments and question-making-listening; permission to draw on lived experience and gut feelings; sensory and embodied practices that experiment with ways of gathering, sharing and documenting. This is less a place to solve or answer, more a place to find new approaches, processes and language to create fissures in current practice. Acknowledging that many of the research events in this space can be quite generalist, each of our sessions will be precise and focused.
Our first set of gatherings are:
Resonating with research, listening as a tactile event
Cooked data and being-walked as a form of research
Yummy PDF’s and retaining the wetness of an encounter
Emotional geography and love in the time of research
The Department of Artecology is conjured and convened by Becky Lyon as part of my doctoral research at the Centre for Art and Ecology at Goldsmiths University.
Upcoming club meetings
Wednesday 27 November 2024
Facts! Stats! Dates! Data! Evidence! In order to move and make decisions, ecological management hinges on gathering of raw objective, impartial, out-there data. In this session, we’ll explore how this ‘raw’ data is in fact…always cooked.
We will sieve through the ways we write ourselves into the research…and the research writes itself on us. How might your fieldwork be vegetalising you, crystalising you, pollinating you, soaking you and how might recognising that transform our work?
We will take inside and outside walks with our questions asking how, who, what is shaping them. We will attempt to catch data that might edited out, suppressed, overlooked and make them edible.
In the company of more-than-human and other-human companions we’ll simmer what would happen if paths forward walked themselves into soily existence?
Past club meetings
Thursday 7 November 2024
In ecology, there is no shortage of ‘data’ - we are drowning in it and are are constantly tasked to find more. How do we make that data (((move)))? How do we make that research more (((resonant)))?
In this session we’ll… explore sound as a material for making words, data and research more (((relational))) - listening is after all, something you feel through your whole body. It is (((touch at a distance))).
We’ll explore audio as a conceptual tool for illuminating the gaps, giving voice to the unheard and storytelling otherwise.
We’ll touch on novel formats like the (((sonic essay))), (((audio fiction))) and (((experimental radio))) and consider how we can create them from amateur perspectives.
We’ll think about how the information in our (((sonic surroundings))) could feed into our research and reporting to root them in memories and emotion.
FAQ’s
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The DoA is conceived as a vibrant, peer-to-peer space for diverse practitioners of ecological care-taking for example - artists, activists, conservationists, grassroots group leaders, scientists, social scientists, policy makers. In some shape or form you’ll be able to draw on your own experience. It's for folk interested in interrogating the methods we are using and those who acknowledge the structures we are caught up in might not be serving us or at least have more potential…
If you are a critic, a commentator or simply curious - this might not be the space for you but I can make sure you are informed of documentation and public events.
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A richly programmed morning to let your thoughts breathe - this is less a place to solve more a place to feel-through our ideas and ask more questions. A place to be free and judgement free and gather materials to take in your practice. A peer-to-peer space to meet other practitioners for ongoing conversations. Facilitated-collaboration that respects and makes the most of your time!
The sessions are not subject-specific and are designed to be interdisciplinary so if you are working in wastewater management - the session on edible reports is still for you, if you are working on broadening access to green space - the audio session is still for you!
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To enjoy yourself! To get stuck in and share your insights, experiences and reflections. To contribute to a non-judgemental space rooted in deep listening and respect. To note - you do not have to share anything you don’t want to, you can step out of any of the activities as you prefer and you do not have to be in any documentation.
You also don’t have to attend every session to be a part of the club ;)
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1. Confirmation of your attendance
I’ll get in touch to confirm your space - I want everyone who wants to be involved, to be involved. I’ll do my best to squeeze folk in and worse case, we may need to spread across sessions. Likewise, if this isn’t the best fit for you, I’ll ensure you can get involved in the public programme.
2. Ahead of the session
I’ll send you a provocation for the session and a virtual goodie bag of readings, listenings, tasks, questions - this is of course optional but it may help you get into the right headspace!
During the session there will be a segment for project sharing so if you are interested in sharing your work, you’ll be invited to discuss this with me.
With permission - I’ll circulate a list and bios of the attendees so you can get to know who’s in the room.
I’ll share a consent form
I’ll also request your dietary / accessibility requirements.
You can email me with any questions.
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London National Park City Visitor Hub
80 Mortimer Street, London W1W 7FE
Nearest tubes: Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Goodge Street, Tottenham Court Road
The main floor is wheelchair accessible but unfortunately the toilets are down a flight of stairs. However, we can make provisions with neighbouring partners.
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The first sessions are held during the week 11-2pm.
I am eager to accommodate varying schedules acknowledging that many people work full time during the week and are unable to participate mid-week during the day. In the registration you’ll have a chance to share your preferences.
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