Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society Organization Logo Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society

Workshop

The Aesthetics of Catastrophe

02.27.2023 06:30 PM

Event Summary

How should scholars and artists represent ideas, realities, and possible futures that the public considers catastrophic? In what ways are academic and creative representations of catastrophe similar, and where do they diverge? How do those who communicate such difficult truths deal with their own despair in the process? The interdisciplinary group of scholars, artists, and practitioners at this virtual workshop share an interest in thinking about how the visual and performance arts might offer new pathways for understanding these complex and often overwhelming challenges. The discussion centered on themes inspired by (but not confined to) our February 26 Director's Lecture, featuring a performance by The Crossing at the David Rubenstein Forum.

For further background on these themes, please visit The Chicago Cli-Fi Library exhibition page.

Speakers

Dipesh Chakrabarty

Participant

Lawrence A. Kimpton Distinguished Service Professor of History and South Asian Languages and Civilizations, University of Chicago

Sarah Curran

Participant

Interim Executive Director, UChicago Presents

Jenny Kendler

Participant

Artist

David Levin

Participant

Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts, University of Chicago

Donald Nally

Participant

Artistic Director, The Crossing

Shara Nova

Participant

Composer and Musician

Gabrielle Randle-Bent

Participant

Associate Artistic Director, Court Theatre

Dieter Roelstraete

Participant

Curator, Neubauer Collegium

Robert Rosner

Participant

William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Physics, University of Chicago

Neil Shubin

Participant

Robert R. Bensley Distinguished Service Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago

Ayanna Woods

Participant

Composer

Tara Zahra

Participant

Roman Family Director, Neubauer Collegium