What a body can do in times of climate crisis
lecture and discussion
January 14, 5.30 pm - 9 pm, tranzit.sk, Beskydská 12
We find ourselves in the middle of a climate collapse and the sixth great extinction of species. In recent years, environmental justice has become one of the most prominent topics in the arts. At the same time, many of the actions of climate movements make use of artistic and performative elements. The event will focus on exploring the relationship between performance and activism in the context of climate crisis.
The evening will open with a lecture entitled Performativity of climate movement by members of Limity jsme my. They will introduce some of the movement's means of expression and put them in a broader context, focusing on the performativity of activist behaviour. They will talk about the actions of climate movements as an embodiment of otherwise abstract concepts. It will be based on their own politically engaged research and mutual interdisciplinary conversation. Through the demonstration of action training, they will introduce some of the principles of direct action.
In his lecture Eco-artivism in contemporary performance art, Milo Juráni will present the tactics and strategies of performative artists, who mix their artistic visions with eco-activism. These take on different forms and are drawn from various sources of motivation. For example, there may be a conscious effort to materialize abstract concepts such as nature, climate change or the relationship between humans and the environment in a way that brings their own body or group action into play, or a conceptual framework may be created. They are also intensively seeking opportunities to draw attention to concrete problems through fiction, often in an unexpected and original way, or they are simply acting out of conviction. Although artists often draw on a wide range of activist methods, it is questionable whether the exchange can work in the other direction. To what extent can artistic practices enrich environmental actions?
We will conclude the evening with an open discussion based on previous contributions, focusing on critical reflection on techniques and tactics used by environmental movements and artists.
Schedule:
17:30 - lecture on Performativity of climate movement and demonstration of action training
19:00 - lecture on Eco-artivism in contemporary performance art
20:00 - open discussion
Guests:
Limity jsme my - civic movement against coal mining and coal burning
Mikuláš Černík - PhD. student of environmental studies, member of LJM
Marika Volfová - PhD. student of Faculty of Fine Art, Brno University of technology, member of LJM
Jakub Mácha - student of social anthropology, lecturer of informal education about activism and politics, member of LJM
https://limityjsmemy.cz/
Milo Juráni - PhD. student at Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava with a focus on environmental topics in theatre and performance, member of platform MLOKi
The event is part of What a body can do - a series of lectures, workshops and other events focused on collective learning about performance.
The event will be held in Slovak and Czech language.
ERSTE Foundation is main partner of tranzit.
