An Aesthetic Enquiry of the Anthropocene

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Watch the recording of this conference on the British Academy's YouTube channel: day one | day two

We have entered the Anthropocene, a new geological Epoch characterised by human impact on the Earth System: one that looks increasingly incapable of sustaining itself. The consequences of its perturbations - wildfires, droughts, polluted air, extinctions, and a global pandemic - are violently manifesting.

The causes and effects of the Anthropocene pose questions across disciplines for our relationships with each other and the Earth System across time and space. This timely conference combines scientists with humanities and social science scholars to discuss the impact of anthropocenic decisions through an aesthetic inquiry into everyday objects in a fast-moving human-dominated world.

Reflecting on the degrowth and slow movements, the conference explores alternative models of production, consumption and circulation of objects, and planning of urban spaces. The conference contributes to new transdisciplinary research streams by exploring aesthetic representations of the Anthropocene as a transitional space and time moving towards sustainable modes of organizing and governance.

Conference convenors:

Professor Steven Brown, Nottingham Trent University
Dr Marta Gasparin, Copenhagen Business School

Speakers across the two-day conference include:

Dr Rupert Cox, University of Manchester
Dr Balandino Di Donato, Edinburgh Napier University
Professor William Green, University of Birmingham
Professor Anna Hansell, University of Leicester
Bailey Hilgren, New York University
Dr Casper Brunn Jensen, University of Nottingham
Dr Jacqueline Kirk, Nottingham Trent University
Professor Hannah Knox, University College London
Professor Simon Lilley, University of Lincoln
Thomas Presskon-Thygsesen, Copenhagen Business School
Dr Rachel Mundy, Rutgers University
Dr Lonan O’Briain, University of Nottingham
Professor Damian O’Doherty, University of Liverpool
Professor Mollie Painter, Nottingham Trent University
Dr Martin Quinn, Lancaster University
Professor Sverre Raffnsøe, Copenhagen Business School
Dr Simon Turner, University College London
Professor Mark Williams, University of Leicester
Professor Jan Zalasiewicz, University of Leicester

Please download the conference programme

Funded by Wellcome Trust

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Image: Getty Images