Event 2: Understanding Arts Based Research: Symposium

In addition to Linda Weintraub’s keynote lecture at the Understanding Arts Based Research Symposium on April 4th, I was also able to attend some of the short presentations. Specifically, I attended the presentations by Ingeborg Reichle, María Antonia González Valerio, and Iain Kerr.

Ingeborg Reichle presented on artistic responses to global challenges, touching on both the social challenges and ecological threats that society faces today. Universities attempt to contribute solutions to these challenges, demonstrating the need and value of university education and research. However, this requires collaboration across sectors and disciplinary boundaries among high degrees of specialization. Reichle touched on how disciplines are the driving force behind university administration, supporting the fragmentation of curricular in our systems of higher education. I thought this was very relevant to C.P. Snow’s idea of two cultures and the need to bridge the gap between these different forms of knowledge. The need to engage in active experimentation, reflection, and knowledge building is common among students. The arts can help raise awareness of global issues and the importance of having a deeper understanding of cultures when addressing these issues.

A diagram explaining arts integration in universities.

María Antonia González Valerio discussed a specific global challenge and concern of the public, climate change. Climate change is an international problem, prompting movements and activists who fear what is happening to the planet and want to help change it. One part of her presentation I found very interesting was her discussion of the “probable end of the world”, which is requiring political, economic, and ecological changes. It is interesting to me that to elicit change, there often has to be motivation through fear.

The global concern of climate change.

Lastly, Iain Kerr talked about the nature-culture divide and its connection to the production of art and science. Art, culture, and nature can all be part of a historical product, as we can think of ourselves as more than just artists, scientists, or humans. I was intrigued by his discussion of the divide between the subjective and objective, and questions pertaining to rethinking the concepts of value and collectivity. Kerr suggested the idea of the commons, with many worlds but one culture. In this way, the separate cultures, of say humanities and sciences, would be merged. However, there still would be creativity and uniqueness in the many worlds.

An image depicting the nature-culture divide.

Overall, I thought these presentations were captivating and I could connect them to topics discussed in class, and I would recommend attending future symposiums.

The selfie I took at the symposium.

References:

“Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.” NASA, NASA, 24 Apr. 2019, climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/.

Pathak, Hardeep. “Us & Them: The Nature-Culture Divide.” The Holy Connection, The Holy Connection, 7 Aug. 2015, www.thclabs.org/miscellaneous/culture/us-them-the-nature-culture-divide/.