In this workshop, Feral Practice (aka Fiona MacDonald), will share examples of their work with ants, plants and fungi, and guide experiments in attention shifting and interspecies communication. We will visit local habitats and explore our differing experiences of interaction with nonhuman beings.

Can examples of plant-fungi-insect interactions and mutualisms help us develop speculative practices that bring humans into deeper connection with nonhumans?

Feral Practice will share examples of their work with ants, plants and fungi, and guide experiments in attention shifting and interspecies communication. We will explore our differing experiences of interaction with nonhuman beings.

Outdoor experiments will include using sensory aids (eg magnifying lenses) and blocks (eg blindfolds).

Schedule
11am: talk at OSE
12pm: lunch
1pm: indoor work at OSE
2.30pm: outdoor session at Tivoli Park (weather permitting)
4.15pm: closing session at OSE

Feral Practice works with human and nonhuman beings to create art projects and interdisciplinary events that develop ethical and imaginative connection across species boundaries. Their research focuses on scientific, artistic and more esoteric methods of interspecies interaction and communication.

Recent projects: Phytocentric LUX 2019, Ask Somerset’s Plants Somerset Art Weeks Festival 2019. Mycorrhizal Meditation: Intelligent Fungi, Governors Island NYC 20109, Bánkitó Fesztivál, Hungary 2019, The Bluecoat 2019, Taipei Biennale 2018, Radical Mycology Conference 2018, Furtherfield Gallery 2017. Plant Hunting, 2018: commissioned by Invisible Dust for Whitby. Ask the Wild with Marcus Coates: Whitechapel Gallery, Tate St Ives, Turner Contemporary, Whitstable Biennale, SLBI. Foxing, 2017: PEER London. Wood to World, 2015-16: London and Kent.

Accessibility info
Due to factors beyond our control, the parts of the event that take place at OSE are inaccessible to those with limited mobility. Some parts of this session will take place outside at Tivoli Park in Margate and there may be some off-path blindfolded exploration, but you don’t need to take part in these parts if you’d rather not. We can record parts of the session if there is a demand. Please send an email to info@openschooleast.org if you are interested.

Practical Information
As parts of this session will be taking place outside, please dress for the weather. You don’t need to be an artist to take part and you don’t need to attend the entire day.