deadline July 14th

 ‘The days with the School of Unlived Worlds offered doorways that I didn’t know existed, to connect in a deeper and stranger way with nature, both inside and outside of myself.’
Simon (35) micro-biologist

Are you a playful nature lover, ecologist, artist, biologist, dancer, philosopher, forester, scout or other curious critter? And are you interested in investigating the cross section of ecology, philosophy and art in an inspiring group of people?

The School of Unlived Worlds offers a three day training hosted by La Strada, Graz, from the 29th to the 31st of July. During these days we will go on unusual expeditions into the forest of Kalkleiten (close to Graz). 

Dutch artists Emke Idema, Marie Groothof and Floor Cremers have created a method of experimental ecology, embodied philosophy and playful exchange, that trains you to shift paradigms and lay bare blind spots and lacunas in the narratives we live in. It offers a fresh lived experience of the area and is a gateway to new ideas on nature, on ourselves and the relations that emerge from that.

With a group of fifteen people we will practice this method. We will repeatedly enter the forest in unknown playful ways. We will design interventions that challenge our regular intelligence and tune in to other ways of understanding and relating with our habitat. An intervention could be crawling on all fours to hidden places, turning in slow circles around our axis, following an ant into his world or singing along with the birds. We will harvest and share the knowledge that comes forth from these experiences.

Next to this practice we will collect and read inspiring texts from philosophers, ecologists and artists that will feed our actions and we will exchange thoughts and practices.

The School has had previous editions on the island of Terschelling (Netherlands),  in the cityscape of Milan (Italy), and in the salt marsh landscape close to Groningen (the Netherlands)

Very special and completely new experiences: listening to the world in a new way, using all of your senses and your wild imagination. Things came to life that I couldn’t anticipate.
Elize (20), student Future Planet Studies

Enriching, uplifting, humorous, relaxed. It brings you very close to nature, to yourself, to being-human, all in a new way.
Astrid (40), forester

If you want to sign up, please subscribe by sending a motivation and a short introduction via the website of La Strada (scroll down for the online application form) before July 14th. There is space for 15 participants. In case of more applications, the School of Unlived Worlds will make a selection. The intention is to create an interesting and diverse group.

Note that we will hike uphill and downhill for about 1,5 hours a day, so a medium condition and sufficient shoes are important. We strongly recommend to get vaccinated against TBE/FSME or get your vaccination refreshed.

FACTS

When: 29-31th July
For whom: Everyone who is deeply engaged with the topic and has a playful mind
Costs: 135 euro for 3 days, including the transport from the city centre of Graz to the forest and a lunch everyday.
Time: starts in the city centre of Graz at 10.30, ends in Graz at 6 pm
Language: English
Closing date open call: July 14th
Made possible by: La Strada, IN SITU European platform for artistic creation in public space, Stichting STRANGER
More information: https://www.emkeidema.nl/en/school-of-unlived-worlds/