Wednesday 5th June 2-4.30pm
One of the Creative Spaces’ research focuses has been the role of the arts and artists in developing sustainable cities. Following our curiosity, we would like to take the opportunity of Mead Gallery’sexhibition
“Artists’ Plans for Sustainability” to invite three artists to give 15-minute presentations of their work. This will be followed by a roundtable discussion with Warwick academics, addressing the question of:
‘The Role of Art in Developing the Sustainable City’
Visitors attending the roundtable will have the opportunity to comment or ask questions.
The event is free but places are limited, so please reserve a place in advance by phoning Warwick Arts Centre box office: 024 76524524.
Artists:
- Nils Norman, Ion Sørvin (N55) and Carolyn Deby (sirenscrossing)
Academics:
- Dr Nicolas Whybrow (chair, Theatre and Performance Studies)
- Dr Cath Lambert (Sociology)
- Dr Jonathan Vickery (Cultural Policy Studies)
- Dr Ria Dunkley (IATL and Cardiff University Sustainable Places Institute)
- Dr Susan Haedicke (Theatre and Performance Studies)
- Nese Tosun (PhD candidate, Theatre and Performance Studies)
Creative Spaces is a network member of the AHRC-funded ‘Making Sense of
Sustainability’ arts and social sciences collaboration based at Cardiff
University.
Creative Spaces Research at the moment focuses on two main areas:
The Role of the Arts in Developing Sustainable Cities
For Rosalyn Deutsche urban space is not only socially-produced but agonistic. Thus, the practices of urban societies – that which its various constituencies do or are allowed to do – defines or creates the space of the city, and such space is dependent for its very condition of existence on that which is produced by ‘conflicting interests’. As Henri Lefebvre puts it with regard to the abstract space of modernism and capital: ‘Inasmuch as [such space] tends towards homogeneity, towards the elimination of existing differences or peculiarities, a new space cannot be born (produced) unless it accentuates differences’ (1991: 52).
Venice and Sustainability
The city of Venice conveys an impression of sinking. It is known to be doing so literally – some twenty-three centimetres in the last century – with the fabric and foundations of buildings gradually dissolving and the seasonal floods of the acqua alta on the increase, whilst figuratively the sheer weight of tourists – estimated at 16.5 million annually – can be said to be forcing the city down and its citizens to ‘jump ship’ in a desperate bid to save their futures.