Do you feel exhausted in these times of catastrophe and crisis? This is not a personal problem, but a phenomenon rooted in history and politics. Dive in reflection about how to resist your over-exploitation by changing your relationship with speed and time. Join the curators of Time for Live Art festivals network for an upside-down experience! Workshop addressing to art workers from every field, exhausted or not.
“The machine is tired and exhausted” said philosopher Bayo Akomolafe in 2020, talking about humans in times of catastrophe and crisis. What are the results of over-exploitation on the bodies of art workers (and especially those of live arts) in the capitalist world? During the past few years many thinkers have turned their ecological concerns into reflection about de-growth. Changing the internal rhythm of the human body is a first and quite demanding step. How do we live this over exploitation? Are we aware of it? What does it mean “to slow down”? Slowing down doesn’t only refer to the function of speed, but to awareness. It changes the experience of time. It means not accepting to be a machine, but to be present and to acknowledge the presence of others. Can we actually rest? Can resting be an active form of resistance to the sense of productivity and endless progress? Here is a “hands-on” workshop about rest!
This workshop, the second in a series that started in Brussels during Trouble festival last April, is addressing art workers from every field. After a summary of the conversations and actions which took place in April, we will ask the Turku participants to share their own experiences. A moment will then be dedicated to individual research about how to practically resist by resting, and implement these strategies in our work practices. Finally some time will be given to resting and listening to how it resonates within us. Please wear comfortable clothes.
