NEWS
MAY 2010
ENROLMENT NOW!
Social Sculpture Programme in Melbourne - June 2010
Every Human Being an Artist: The Art of Changing One's Mind(set)
2 x 3-day workshops: Beginning 10 June 2010
Unique opportunity for the management, business, art and academic communities to come together to explore the social sculpture ideas and what they have to do with working towards an ecologically viable and humane future.
Informed by Joseph Beuys' notion of social sculpture and the further development of these ideas through the work of the Social Sculpture Research Unit and affiliated projects. Led by Shelley Sacks and Wolfgang Zumdick.
SEE DETAILED PROGRAMME
RESPOND BY 27 May 2010 - TO SECURE YOUR PLACE AT THIS WORKSHOP TO:
david.thomas@rmit.edu.au
MARCH 2010
ART - CULTURE - SUSTAINABILTY
A SERIES OF 1-DAY SYMPOSIA, SEMINARS AND CONVERSATIONS hosted by the Social Sculpture Research Forum at Oxford Brookes University.
23 March 2010
Beth Carruthers (Canada) and Alex Arteaga (Berlin/Barcelona)
Full details and flyer to download.
JANUARY 2010
ARTS AND SUSTAINABILITY:
From Goethe and Schiller through the Bauhaus to Social Sculpture
FORUM FOR CREATIVE ACTION
The Shaping of a Humane World as an Aesthetic Challenge
Place: Weimar, Germany
Date: 27 June - 10 July
This 12 day theory-practice programme runs annually in the summer.
It actively engages particpants in an introductory exploration of social sculpture and aesthetic questions relevant to the shaping of an ecological and socially just world.
It looks back to Schiller, Goethe, the Bauhaus and Joseph Beuys and forward to developing new forms of social sculpture appropraite to the challenges of the 21st century.
The prgramme is led by Shelley Sacks and Dr. Hildegard Kurt
ENROLMENT by 30 April 2010
For full details see Weimar Summer Courses
This programme has limited places. Please enrol as soon as possible.
There are also a limited number of scholarships available .
NOVEMBER 2009
ATLAS - a philosophical tour guide exploring some of the inner territories we encounter in the Ort des Treffens processes -has been published by Mayer Verlag, Stuttgart.
It contains texts by Wolfgang Zumdick and Shelley Sacks, as well as a series of constellation images by Sacks. German only.
(English publication in progress.)
Contact Verlag Mayer for details of German edition.
APRIL - OCTOBER 2009
CITY OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
Ort des Treffens, the social sculpture process developed for the city of Hannover in Germany, that explores the connection between inner and outer work, between reflection and active citizenship, and higlights the importance of questions as formative forces, now enters its second phase.
A new project team has emerged from those who used this instrument.
This team is now developing a citizens initiative that will use this instrument for dialogue, listening and reflection, to explore how the people of the city can continue to work with this instrument that reflects its commitment to being a place of refuge, integration and participatory cultural action.
MAY 2009
SOCIAL SCULPTURE PROCESS FOR NOBEL LAUREATE'S SYMPOSIUM
The St. James's Palace Nobel Laureates Symposium in London, on 26/27 May includes a cultural event framed by Joseph Beuys' concept of social sculpture.
As part of the evening event - 'Sculpting our History' - Shelley Sacks will lead a social sculpture process, working with 'thought wedges' as 'instruments of consciousness' and questions as significant invisible materials with which we shape our lives.
Further details and links to the cultural event and programme.
APRIL 2009 ART AND SUSTAINABILITY
From Bauhaus to Social Sculpture: The Shaping of Humane Societies as an Aesthetic Challenge
This 12 day 'theory-practice' program runs annually in the summer.
It actively engages participants in an introductory exploration of social sculpture and aesthetic questions relevant to the shaping of an ecological and socially just future. It looks back to Schiller, Goethe, the Bauhaus and Joseph Beuys and forward to developing new forms of social sculpture appropriate to the challenges of the 21st century.
The program is led by Dr. Hildegard Kurt and Shelley Sacks.
Enrolment by 30 April 2009.
For full details see http://www.weimar-summer-courses.de/2009/kurs-b.html
MARCH 2009
Ort des Treffens - 100/0 Voices
launch of new social sculpture project in Hannover, Germany. (Short English outline)
Project Team: Shelley Sacks, Anja Steckling, Wolfgang Zumdick, Nicholas Stronczyk, Lukas Oertel, Alex Arteaga and co-worker team
Project website [currently German only]
JANUARY 2009
KEYNOTE ADDRESS - ASSUME NOTHING: New Social Practice SYMPOSIUM, VICTORIA, CANANDA
On Friday 30 January, Shelley Sacks will open this 3-day symposium, focusing on social practice work by 30 international artists and collectives.
The exhibition at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria -curated by Lisa Baldissera - and related symposium at the University of Victoria, have both been framed by Joseph Beuys' social sculpture ideas.
Shelley's talk will look at what should not be assumed, in order to develop new social practice that works on different levels towards the shaping of a humane and just society in which the poetic imagination plays a central role.
DECEMBER 2008
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH RECOGNITION
The national UK Research Assessment (RAE) results released recently, place all the work being done in the Art Department at Oxford Brookes -that houses the Social Sculpture Research Unit and its projects -in the international catagory, with some of the work regarded as 'world leading'.
Six new doctoral students are now doing doctoral research in areas related to Social Sculpture.
Shelley Sacks and Prof. Walter Kugler are supervising these studetns - with Dr. Paul Whitty, Prof. Roger Griffen and Dr. Wofgang Zumdick as second supervisors, or special advisors.
The SSRU continues to develop international collaborations and projects that contribute to this highly rated Art Department at Oxford Brookes.
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2008
The WORLD CULTURAL ECONOMIC FORUM is a two-day forum in New Orleans on Oct. 30-31 for world cultural economy leaders from approximately 60 countries invited to Louisiana to discuss best practices for growing cultural industries as key segments of a global economy.
Shelley Sacks has been invited to make a contribution about social sculpture and transformative process as part of a panel on Creative Communities chaired by Steve Dahlberg, and to co-lead a workshop on improvisation / new methods of engagement.
The aim of the international forum is to build cultural economic development opportunities through the strategic convening of cultural ambassadors and leaders from around the world, whilst positioning Louisiana as the driving force of the global cultural economy movement.
The WCEF will provide the opportunity to explore best practices and engage in critical conversations for improving our cultural economies, growing culture and engendering creativity.
OCTOBER 2008
From Paradise to Social Sculpture & Beyond:
The Philosophy of Imagination
3 Lecture-Seminars by Dr. Wolfgang Zumdick
International Visiting Research Fellow in Social Sculpture at Oxford Brookes University
On Tuesday evenings 5.30 - 8 pm
21 October, 4 November, 18 November
At Oxford Brookes University
Hosted by the Social Sculpture Research Unit (www.social-sculpture.org)
+ the Institute for Historical and Cultural Research at Oxford Brookes University
Lecture-Seminar 1
Tuesday October 21 -From Paradise ... Life-changing energies in poiesis and imagination
Lecture-Seminar 2
Tuesday November 4 ... To Social Sculpture Joseph Beuys: Evolution. An artistic perspective on the development of mind and earth
Lecture-Seminar 3
Tuesday November 18 ...And Beyond Everybody is an artist: Transforming society by developing individual potential
SEPTEMBER 2008
NEW PROJECT: ORT DES TREFFENS - HANNOVER, GERMANY
The Kulturburo in Hannover, Germany, has confirmed support for the Ort des Treffens social sculpture project.
Initiated by Shelley Sacks, with a team that includes Hannover based artists, Anja Steckling and Nicholas Stronczyk, Alex Arteaga -Berlin based sound artist and philospher, Lukas Oertel - Masters student in social sculpture, and Wolfgang Zumdick, philosopher and author from Aachen- the project will work with the citizens of Hannover from March to September 2009, exploring connections between imaginal thought (bildhaftes Denken), listening and dialogues processes. It will also relate the social sclupture ideas central to this project to the work of Leibniz, Hannah Arendt and Joseph Beuys.
For full details of the project see: Developing the Territory/Ort des Treffens
The project has its own website www.ortdestreffens.de (under development)
JULY 2008
UNIVERSITY OF THE TREES at CCANW, Haldon Forest, Exeter
International Weekend Forum - 26 and 27 July 2008
On 26 and 27 July, University of the Trees (Exeter Region, UK) will become an exploratory forum to experience and consider new ways of connecting with the world and what we mean by developing ‘new organs of perception'*.
It will also be an opportunity to get closer to the social sculpture ideas and their relationship to the University of the Trees as an ‘instrument of consciousness' in our work toward a humane and ecologically just society.
The three guest speakers -Dr. Chris Seeley, Dieter Schuhmacher and Prof. Volker Harlan are all actively involved in the University of the Trees project or related connective practices. See www.universityofthetrees.org (about / project people)
Through presentations, discussion and experiential processes in the forest they will open up the space to explore how the University of the Trees relates to our work towards an ecologically just society.
Day 1
Presentations at CCANW and participatory processes in the forest with the three visiting presenters, introduced by Shelley Sacks (10.30 -6 pm)
Day 2
Further exploratory day for UoT Group, Exeter and interested Day 1 participants (10.30 -4.30)
For more detailed programme see www.universityofthetrees.org
If you have not been involved in the University of the Trees meetings and processes before, please come one hour earlier on Sat 26 July. Shelley Sacks will introduce you to the project. It would be helpful if you could look at the UoT website to acquaint yourself with the project beforehand.
Please contact Johanna Korndorfer at CCANW
j.korndorfer@ccanw.co.uk or Tel: 00 44 (0) 01392 83 22 77
Contributions: Day 1: £10 (Consc. £8) -Bring a packed lunch; Day 2: £5 (Lunch provided)
*‘New organs of perception' is a phrase that stems from the scientific work of Goethe, who contrasted a participatory, holistic mode of seeing to onlooker consciousness. Joseph Beuys' used this phrase too to emphasise the need for new forms of knowing and perceiving that would lead us to act in a more connected way. Some of our organs of perception -like eyes, ears and tongue - are already fairly well developed at birth. But others, our higher human organs of perception - like the ability to empathise, to develop a conscience, to perceive the idea in things and the interconnections in the world- need to be developed.
University of the Trees creates an arena and a framework for exploring our relationship to the world, and for enabling us to develop actions based on new insights and perceptions.
Find out what University of the Trees groups are doing - get information on University of the Trees events and meetings
JUNE 2008
CONNECTIVE PRACTICES CONSULTATION-SYMPOSIUM - June 17/18 Oxford
The purpose of this small international gathering is to explore in some depth the transdisciplinary notion of connective practices being used by the 20 practitioners attending the event.
The event - designed and faciltated by Shelley Sacks and Chris Seeley - is hosted and funded by Oxford Brookes University's Institute of Historical and Cultural Research; The Art, Culture and Sustainability research group and the Social Sculpture Research Unit.
FOLLOW UP EVENT
In Autumn 2008 a follow up event - open to all - will present the findings of this consultation to others who actively wish to engage in the ongoing work of this growing international connective practices network.
UNIVERSITY OF THE TREES EVENTS - June and July 2008
12 June 2008 - Exeter Region, UK :
CREATING THE MAIN FORUM OF UNIVERSITY OF THE TREES
in Haldon Forest, Exeter.
Using the 'tree bands' from the University of the Trees kit, foresters and members of the Exeter, University of the Trees group will create a central 'main forum' in which regular meetings will take place. a further 12 bands will also be positioned around the periphery of Haldon Forest, defining the entire forest as a university of the trees.
21 June 2008 - Exeter Region, UK
MIDSUMMER'S MEETING OF THE EXETER GROUP.
Open to all.
See www.ccanw.co.uk and www.universityofthetrees.org for details
26/27 July 2008 -Exeter Region
DEVELOPING 'NEW ORGANS OF PERCEPTION'
and the ECOLOGICAL CRISIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSCIOUSNESS
This 2-day particpatory event in Haldon Forest, Exeter explores the University of the Trees' emphasis on new organs of perception. This idea and practice, first developed by Goethe, was central to Joseph Beuys' work.
On Saturday 26 July University of the Trees advisors, Dr. Chris Seeley, Dieter Schumacher, Prof. Dr.Volker Harlan and Shelley Sacks will make presentations that engage participants in this territory. On the Sunday 27 July the Exeter group and people who have attended the Saturday 26 July presentations, will work together in the University of the Trees in Haldon Forest to further explore the methods and ideas presented on the previous day.
All welcome.
See www.ccanw.co.uk and www.universityofthetrees.org for details of participation and to confirm a place
APRIL 2008
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THE HIGH TABLE INTERVENTION
Nicholas Stronczyk's presentation of works, questions and research in Oxford on 16 April 2008, as part of the work towards his practice-based PhD. All welcome.
More details.
MARCH 2008
ART AND SUSTAINABILITY
From Bauhaus to Social Sculpture : The Shaping of Humane Societies as an Aesthetic Challenge
This 12 day programme runs annually in the summer. It actively engages participants in an introductory exploration relevant to cultural workers and interdisciplinary practitioners in the 21st century.
The programme is led by Dr. Hildegard Kurt and Shelley Sacks.
SAVING THE BLOCK BEUYS
The first small victories in the process to save the Block Beuys in Darmstadt from rather destructive renovations have been won.
RESTORERS' FORUM
This is an arena for restorers and others who are trying to preserve work comprising of emphemeral and easily degradable materials, to discuss some of the complex issues surrounding the preservation of such time-sensitive work.
This forum is of particular relevance at present with regard to the technical debates relating to the Block Beuys in Darmstadt.
APRIL 2008
NEW PROFESSOR IN SOCIAL SCULPTURE
A Professorship at Oxford Brookes University has recently been confered on Walter Kugler (author, musician and curator of many contemporary exhibitions) which will enable him to develop his work in this field and play a much more active role in the Social Sculpture Research Unit. Walter's own transdisciplinary background (contemporary music, philosophy, pedagogics, politics and work with Beuys) makes him well suited to co-teach on the MA in interdisciplinary Arts and to supervise graduate research students in social sculture related fields.
This Chair is Social Sculpture has been generously funded by the Iona Stitchting, Holland.
JANUARY 2008
SHELLEY SACKS and CAROLINE TISDALL on Art and Climare Change programme
hosted by Cornelia Parker for RADIO 3
The Guardian 14.01.08
Last night's Sunday Feature - Rules of Engagement (Radio 3), presented by Cornelia Parker, featured possibly one of the lines, and certainly one of the diverting mental images, of this young year. "I'm a vegetarian," said artist Shelley Sacks, "but I cover my arms with raw bacon while I'm giving this quite academic lecture."
The rest of the programme wasn't quite so peculiar, though it featured a soundtrack that made Tom Waits' more experimental moments sound positively pedestrian. It began with something akin to silent movie music of apocalyptic doom, and then slipped into a section that suggested rumbling tummies at war.
Parker had assembled a cast of hypnotically clever contributors who said fancy things about art in the age of global warming that were hard to disagree with, largely because you'd long forgotten what the question was. Artist Olafur Eliasson tussled with the relationship between art and politics: "sensational questions in terms of our senses, neurological questions, cognitive questions, can be very political ... political in social, ethical, environmental ways". Gustav Metzger had an altogether pithier analysis. "It's a disaster in which we live," he said, in a low, dark grumble.
© 2008 Social Sculpture Research Unit
