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Ecologies of Transformation (2021-2023)
A temporary MFA at the Sandberg Institute curated and led by Camille Barton, researching how art and embodiment can create social change.
EoT Graduation Show, June 2023, Orangerie, Amstelpark
Documentation by Dora Lionstone
www.doralionstone.com
We moved a lot with Joy Mariama Smith, working on vibe, touch, boredom, care, collaboration, reflection and more.
Went deeper into The Resilience Toolkit -Nkem Ndefo- with Char Kasza & Wangũi.
Ama J. B. Johnstone brought Towards a Black Ecopoet(h)ics.
We had our Victoria McKenzie for rooted guidance.
Joyful Militancy, Sci Fi for social change, Liberation Psychology.
Meenadchi's teachings on Non-Violent Communication.
Clowning with Robyn Hambrook & Aisha Ali in Activist Clown Toolkit.
Then a Clown Intensive with Sabine Choucair of Clown Me In. Playing together is key in building community.
Grief rituals with Camille Barton & each other; things to compost.
Lucie Gérard joined me in sharing our offerings on Pleasure Activism by adrienne maree brown.
Lina Bravo Mora gave us clay to move with.
Evan Ifekoya took us through Portals & Rituals.
Trauma Informed Principles were conveyed by Camille Barton.
Assessments after-care as restorative yoga with Jessica Ludascher.
We moved & broke glass with Ivan March as we talked about the lessons of festival & club culture.
D'bi.young Anitafrika came and took us through all the elements.
We showed up to transform our conflicts in the container of Mar Maiques Díaz.
Photo by Dora Lionstone
@doralionstoned
On our first day together, moving within the space, making eye contacts with each other and Camille said:
“Acknowledge that the person before you wants to be loved & accepted as they are. They went through pain and loss in their lives.”
Jules & I teared up looking at each other.
This is how we wrapped the first semester of Ecologies of Transformation:
Char: Our bodies hold a lot. Green, red, blue, purple. Settling signs became visible. Yawns & stomach rumbles are good news. Melt instead of mirror. Witness resiliently.
Kai Cheng Thom: Moving through conflict choosing love. Reaching the window of transformation.
“The opposite of trauma is choice.”
Sage Crump: “Cultural work can change material, political, tangible reality.”
“All organizing is visionary fiction.” -adrienne maree brown
Victoria McKenzie: Into the soil. Interconnected architecture of mycelium.
“Decentralization is life-affirming.”
Gregory: Non-violent communication. Seeing shadows through trauma informedness. Shared mirrors.
Wangũi wa Kamonji: We moved with antidotes. Visited different pluriverses.
Nicole Bindler: Navigating states of polyvagal while flocking, we merged & aligned for the protest. Leadership organically shifted.
Caroline Woolard of Art.Coop brought solidarity economy, community ownership + democratic governance.
“Art is not neutral. It either upholds or disrupts the status quo, advancing or regressing justice.” - adrienne maree brown
Joy: Expanding our movement ground. Paying attention to when no pops up in the body. Our assumptions & embodiments. We guided each other through the rain with mushrooms on the way.
Camille Barton: Artist as an agent of social transformation. Rituals embedded. Searching for colonialism in our bodies, moving it out. With Nagaré, giving us so much despite the institutional hinderance. Grace Lee Boggs question hovered: “What time is it on the clock of the world?”
Jazzy. Paula. Sabrina. Lina. Mala. Effy. Nikolitsa. Jerrold. Sean-Claude. Juliet. Emma. Mayıs.
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