I would like to share my experiences with the Itinerancias program! A series of collective encounters created by La Ortiga Colectiva. This incredible initiative for knowledge exchange has brought together diverse voices from rural Cantabria to explore the intersection of culture, Art, heritage, territory, community among others. For those who don’t know me I am from the region of Cantabria in northern Spain, this region is mostly rural and it faces a number of ecosocial challenges such climate change, extractive practices in rural territories, unstable economy, mass tourism, youth migration, access to housing or other basic services. In Itinerancias, I had the privilege of participating as one of the experts in two memorable sessions: The Final Panel Discussion in July focused in the importance of dialogue and cultural rights in rural territories. We tackled challenges and opportunities facing local communities in Cantabria, exploring topics such as:
In this discussion I shared space with incredible diverse experts including: Ricardo Antón (Colaborabora), Amanda Díaz Ubierna (Camino Lebaniego Foundation), Lucio González (senior technician in forest and natural environment management), María Montesino (coordinator of Itinerancias), Carlos Zamora Gorbeña (CEO at Deluz) and Jazmín Beirak (general director of Cultural Rights of the Ministry of Culture of Spain) "Itinerancias. Intangible Heritage: Cultural Landscape and Territory": In May, I had the opportunity to share the discussion with inspiring individuals from various fields, including academia, Art, and local businesses of Ramales de la Victoria (Cantabria). We explored the significance of intangible heritage in shaping our cultural landscape and fostering community resilience. Some of the key topics discussed included:
In this session, I shared such meaningful space with Ana Belén Marín Arroyo (Professor of Prehistory at the UC and director of EvoAdapta), Paula Martínez (artist and coordinator of Palmo), David Perez (Ronquillo Restaurant), Lucio Gonzalez (forestry and livestock technician), María Montesino (sociologist, La Ortiga Colectiva) and Ángel Astorqui (archeologist, La Ortiga Colectiva). These experiences have been truly enriching, allowing me to connect with active agents in the territory where I am from, aiming to face together such challenges with experts who trully make an impact in the local dynamics. Thanks a lot, to all and in special to La Ortiga Colectiva for inviting me for such meaningful discussions. #derechosculturales #Itinerancias #Cantabria #Spain #CulturalHeritage #CommunityEngagement #Ruralterritories #artisticpractices #culturalrights Photos by: La Ortiga Colectiva, Ricardo Antón and Seila Fernández Arconada
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Earlier this year I was selected to be part of the academic summer school "Urban synergies: Co-creating thriving connections for humans with nature" a week long course that took place in July 2024 organised by Ce3c Centre for Ecology, Evolution and environmental Change at the University of Lisbon and framed as part of the platform Shift COST Action: Social Sciences and Humanities for Transformation and Climate Resilience (SHiFT) COST Action CA21166. More info: www.shift-cost.eu As much as I love leading projects, it is also important to be active and participate in others to be feel different dynamics, get engaged in other debates and keep growing by being "out of the confort zone" in such international projects taking place in the "different worlds" I normally inhabit, this time in the academic world. The following paragraph is the text presentation of the course: "How can we live and thrive together? How can we not only overcome polarities but nurture diversity and dignity for all? How can cities not only adapt to climate change but restore and regenerate relationships with nature, resources and with communities around us? Our approach to the city is an evolving and potentially transformative journey. It involves creative, embodied, and transdisciplinary approaches to learning about current challenges and injustices, drawing new linkages, and to designing change. This summer school invites you to reimagine conviviality and community-building in the city through a transdisciplinary lens." Thank you to all, organisers, participants and Spore initiative in Berlin as our hosts. I would like to kindly thank to the members of my group from whom I learnt so much from our collaborative embodied learning experience. Soon there will be more updates to share as the work done during the course will be part of a collective publication! Here, I would like to share some visual glimpses of this collective endeavour as well as the resultant certification obtained. All photos by: Mirella Frangella Image of most of the group, including trainers and participants Final presentation from our collective resultant project Members of the group: Lukrecija, Helena, Sophi, Zuzia, Benji and myself.
On Tuesday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m. the final session of Itinerancias (2023-2024)) will take place, a program of talks in which I have participated already. This final panel discussion aims to be a closure, pointing out the important of the dialogue of different kinds of knowledge in rural territories. "The meeting will take place in Deluz (C. Ramón y Cajal, 18, 39005 Santander, Cantabria). In this case where we will talk about cultural rights in Cantabria together with Ricardo Antón (Colaborabora), Amanda Díaz Ubierna (Camino Lebaniego Foundation), Seila Fernández Arconada (multidisciplinary artist and researcher), Lucio González (senior technician in forest and natural environment management), María Montesino (coordinator of Itinerancies) and Jazmín Beirak, general director of Cultural Rights of the Ministry of Culture." During the last months I have been participating in various training courses to get engaged in other worlds, other terminologies, discussions that are relevant to me and which has been very insightful for me during the last years. However, the most impactful of all has been taking part in the training course “Trauma-Informed Art Practices” that took place in in June 2024 in Kyiv (Ukraine), organised by Art therapy Force and Kings College London. This course focused on learning and working together in/about methods that aim to restore psycho-emotional health through artistic practices reflecting from theory and practice about trauma and the power of art for the health of our communities. The course included a vast range of perspectives including knowledgeable speakers from psychology, art therapy, trauma-informed arts practices, artistic and cultural projects in Ukraine as well as other experts in the ethics and law of trauma informed work and the politics of memorialising trauma. This course/collective experience has been very enriching and a whole embodied learning I keep thinking about. During the time together, I managed to gain terminology from psychological expertise or situated knowledge in Ukraine that is precious in order to be aware and responsible while running such profound projects. As well as an important realisation of how these topics have been totally intertwined with my practice for years and that belief on the power of artistic practice that keeps me motivated and persistence in running such projects. Trauma-informed Arts practices are “plural worlds” all together as it would always be different approaches depending on the specific groups and needs, however my conclusion is that we have to keep weaving and learning from each other. Thanks to all who made it happening particularly to Veronika, Henry, Darren, Oksana, Revaz and all the participants who managed something very unique: creating a collective "safe space" in times of war in Ukraine. Дякую! Visual glimpses of this journey: photos by various authors including: Julia, Nelly, Lev... The international webinar "Art and Politics, Decolonial Aesthetics and Social Movements" organised by Dirección General de Vinculación Cultural de la Secretaría de Cultura de México was such an inspiring space. Despite the distance and that it was done online, it was very dynamic and meaningful. This course took place in 8 sessions of approx 3 hours along the months of May and June 2024. I love leading projects but also having the possibility to participate as student from time to time then I can update and learn from vibrant and meaningful projects that are happening in Abya Yala and other territories. Thanks to the organisers and all the participants and in particular to the researcher facilitator Francisco De Parres Gómez. Last week, I participated in the round table presenting the research group "Art, Research and Feminisms" of the Basque Country University in which I am part of together with amazing women artists, activists, professors, researchers... I had the chance to see again after long time.
This very special evening took place in Artium (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo del País Vasco. Artium Museoa), after so much work we managed to create a collective publication "Me la pelas, Kant, Reflections about Decoloniality and Feminisms in Art and Academic research" where I have contributed with two chapters as well as the documentary "Cuando el Ayer es Hoy" ("When yesterday is today") and some other outcomes that keep growing... Gracias a todas por esto y más! I am so so pleased to share that next Tuesday I will be in Museo de Arte Contemporáneo del País Vasco. Artium Museoa to present the research group "Art, Research and Feminisms" in which I am part of together with amazing women artists, activists, professors, researchers... who I will be able to see again!
We will share about the research group, the process and some outcomes we have created along the way, including the book "Me la pelas, Kant, Reflections about Decoloniality and Feminisms in Art and Academic research" where I have contributed with two chapters as well as the documentary "Cuando el Ayer es Hoy" ("When yesterday is today") about the collective action created in Vitoria and Proyecto Archivo. Very much looking forward! I am well honoured to share that from Monday I will be the guess visitor at the Basque Centre for Climate Change. An exchange focusing on how artistic research methodologies could engage with climate change scientific research tackling climate change, ecosocial crisis, collective care, transdisciplinarity, decolonial approaches among others.
In addition, I will be giving a seminar about the topics and transdisciplinary collaborations I have been working on in the last years. Looking forward to this experience, thanks to BC3 for this special invitation. I am really happy to share some images of our latest collective journey "Harvesting Hope: Artistic Alchemy and Collective Care for Eco-Social Renewal" that took place in the unique setting of Lutter am Barrengerge, Germany between March 15th to 24th, 2024.
"This project focused on the dynamic intersection of Art, Alchemy, and collective Care, drawing inspiration from ancestral and alternative practices while envisioning future scenarios of eco-social renewal. Participants had the opportunity to explore these topics while actively participating in the alchemical process of artistic creation. Through hands-on collaborative artistic methods, we explored and interacted with Nature, reflecting on the ongoing eco-social crisis to propose new questions and explore other forms of engagement in connection to topics like sustainability, climate change, extractivism, etc. The collective path was designed as a (co)habiting experience where a program was integrated with reflective transdisciplinary activities on how to shift on present and future scenarios, spaces of creation such as “how to become more ecosystems” or participatory frames for collective creations such the creation of tarot cards based on the eco-social crisis, reflections on post-truth (news) narratives, collective sound and painting creations as well as other artistic experiments taking place outdoors in the natural surroundings. This immersive collaborative path enabled the final creation of collaborative processes experienced by all participants. The project was designed by Seila Fernández Arconada as a hybrid format, blending elements of a training course and an experimental artistic laboratory. " I would like to thank so much to the team of Lernlabor for such incredible support, Peter, Nita and Salome, also to the local community at the Lutter Castle, the partner organisations Logos NGO, MOON10PRODUCTIONS, Asociación Cultural La Ortiga and Progetto Giovani Padova for sending such unique and motivated participants. Gratitude extends to all participants who contributed to this exceptional and deeply meaningful journey, where hope blossomed from our collective unity and the constellation of synergies that continue to expand and will keep growing in the future. @Seilafdza #erasmusplusyouth #jugendfuereuropa #harvestinghope |
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