Natura/Naturans: A Series of Lectures, Workshops, and Field Trips on the Anthropocene

From natura naturata (i.e., « nature natured » – nature as a passive matter) to natura naturans (i.e., « nature naturing » – nature as self-generating matter), the concept of « nature » has oscillated throughout the course of human history. This oscillation has accompanied the development of technologies that question the concept of creation itself. The Anthropocene defines an epoch dating from the beginning of the large-scale impact of human activities on the Earth’s ecosystems. Since the industrial era, the environment has been particularly impacted, transformed with the considerable accumulation of human artifacts. The ecological crisis reminds us of the contingency and the danger of large-scale transformations: if humans have been able to shape the world, that transformation, in turn, impacts our future. Despite various attempts to ignore climate change, we are now experiencing its consequences. As artists, scientists, and activists (inhabitants of Earth), our increased awareness of this phenomenon should encourage a rapid response that affords nature greater rights.

Natura Naturans is structured as convene with six sessions, grouped under three overarching themes: Nature / Culture, Visible / Invisible Pollution, and To Create / To Transform. The sessions are comprised of a Friday evening lecture followed by a Saturday or Sunday workshop or field trip.

THEME: NATURE / CULTURE

Session 1: Different Statuses for Nature | September 13-14

Session 2: Symbiosis / Reversibility | September 27-29

THEME: VISIBLE / INVISIBLE POLLUTION

Session 3: Human Sound Pollution / Silent Disappearance | October 11-12

Session 4: Micro / Macro Pollution | October 25-26

THEME: TO CREATE / TO TRANSFORM

Session 5: GMOs | November 8-9

Session 6: Reality / Fiction | November 22-23