Title: Elements of Care Since 1800 human population has grown seven-fold. The Romantic concept of nature has become extraneous. Almost no part of the "natural world"; has escaped our touch. Microplastics are found in the Antarctic or at the deepest points of the oceans. What are our special responsibilities for caring for a poisoned planet? What are the results of our posthuman ecologies on both the planet and our own bodies? Human and nature have become inextricably mixed. Our waste inhabits the bodies of other creatures (and our own); but we now discover our own bodies are not singular, but microbial multitudes. How can artists combine scientific knowledge and process with an aesthetics of care to encourage sense of human/nonhuman intra-action. The course will explore the writing of Donna Haraway, Karen Barad, Heather Davis a.o., as well as the art of Mary Magic, Špela Petrič, Saša Spačal and others, to propose new artistic approaches related to these issues. (Regine Rapp and Christian de Lutz) The intersection of Art, Biology and the Environment offer unique opportunities to visual artists. This innovative summer course, which is already on its fourth edition, will allow non-specialists to acquire theoretical and practical skills in biological and environmental sciences in connection to the visual arts. The Summer School explores the interdisciplinary relationship between art, life and environmental sciences through hands-on exercises, combining theory and practice in an informal environment, e.g.: seminars, debates, visits, and the creation of artworks with biological media. This year's Summer School has an extra piece of news! We are partnering up our Summer School with the Summer Lab at Hangar! (www.hangar.org) Summer Lab is A six-day programme taking place during July (2020) composed by a series of intensive theoretical and/or practical activities: seminars, biolab practices, lectures or expeditions among others activities. The summer lab seeks to facilitate dialogue between different areas of knowledge/practice and social contexts, diluting the distance that often occurs between artist, curators, scientists, researchers and/or social agents. Through the structure offered by an intensive transdisciplinary program, spaces of transversal knowledge will be generated where where all participants will be considered as producers of transversal knowledge. For those of you who would like to do both there will be an extra fee to cover the costs of accommodation and boarding during the time in Barcelona. The flight expenses are at your own responsibility, the dates for the trip to Barcelona will be during the second week of Summer School in Cultivamos Cultura (please contact us for more details at info@cultivamoscultura.org) The activities in the Summer School at Cultivamos Cultura will address issues such as the cultural representations of technology and science, ethical concerns and the evolution of bioart as a cultural phenomenon. One week program with the opportunity to extend the stay for one or two additional weeks to develop an art project in a collaborative environment. The practical component will focus on hands-on exercises in the laboratory, workshop, and within the natural environment. The possibility of transforming abstract concepts into art objects, the collection and selection of organisms for artistic purposes will be highlighted, and, finally, visits to different parts of the natural park, will take place. The course will leave plenty of room for informal activities, and a cultural and social program. The cost will be 700€ for the first week and 600€ for the optional 2 weeks after. The price includes accommodation at Cultivamos Cultura (a farmhouse), meals, tuition and general consumables for the course; from 5th July to 9th July for the first week and 12-16 July for the second week and 19-23 July for the third week (weekends are included between course weeks and will be dedicated to socialising and leisure activities). For the ones choosing the option to go to Hangar on the second week the cost for that week will be 1200€. Faculty: Marta de Menezes, artist, curator, art director of Cultivamos Cultura Luis Graca, MD, PhD, Head of Cellular Immunology Unit and Professor at the University of Lisbon Medical School. Regine Rapp; Art Laboratory Berlin. Christian de Lutz; Art Laboratory Berlin. Ana Baleia, São Luis, Odemira, PT Maya Kempe, São Luis, Odemira, PT Crystal Kershaw, São Luis, Odemira, PT Other Artists in Residence still to announce.
