April 24 and 25, 2014
location: Intersections Digital Studios, Emily Carr University of Art + Design
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The thematic of IF’14 More-Than-Human Worlds combines academic study with artistic practice through a look at compassion as an ontological ‘lens’ of practical investigation. Compassion considers the subjectivity of the other—moving beyond the self—and creates a space for intersubjective action towards transformation. Husserl suggests an affinity between the body of the self and the bodies of others that forms a collective landscape of intersubjective phenomena, experienced by a multiplicity of sensing beings. Zen Buddhist philosophy considers the connectedness of all things and beings, rather than the separation and categorization of things (self/other, human/nature etc).
Researchers from Emily Carr University of Art and Design, OCAD, SFU, UBCO, York U, working within the methodologies outlined in the thematic will contribute papers to the workshop. Presenters include Dr. Maria Lantin, Dr. Steve Duguid, Dr Heesoon Bai, Dr. Jodey Castricano, Nancy Holmes, Dr. Alexsdandra Dulic, Dr. Leesa Fawcett, Beth Carruthers and Julie Andreyev who comprise a research cluster called The Compassion Network, initiated in 2012. The Network engages scholars across the humanities and social sciences at Canadian universities to propose means of connecting academic research and advancing societal ethics on animals and the environment. The workshop meshes this research within current tendencies in new media art and ideas related to technology.