Talk and conversation with Estelle Zhong Mengual to launch the translation of her book Apprendre à Voir (Leren Kijken), Spui 25.
Depictions of the natural world in art offer profound insights into historical perspectives on humanity’s relationship with nature. In light of the current ecological crisis, these insights become crucial as we rethink our place within the natural world.
Whether presented as a mere decorative backdrop for human activities or as a complex language of motifs and symbols representing social realities, depictions of nature often reflect an anthropocentric worldview. The emergence of geological time and Darwin’s theory of evolution in the 19th century started challenging this perspective, and this shift is evident in the art of this period. Together with Estelle Zhong Mengual, Colin Sterling and Julia Kantelberg, we discuss whether art can challenge the entrenched notions of human dominance over nature. Can art teach us to see ourselves as a mere part and co-habitant of the natural world, instead of its leading figure? Can the living world itself be integrated into our understanding of history, and what is the role of aesthetics within this?
Further details on the Spui 25 website.
Colin Sterling 