The Alternative Reality Gardening publication and symposium launched this week with nearly thirty individuals from around the world contributing this this cross-disciplinary project.
Scientists, technologists, theorists, poets, crafters, dancers, artists and engineers contributed work to the book and/or provided talks and performances for the symposium.
ARG is part of the Awhi Incubator project, designed to showcase talent in Te Tai Tokerau and provide a platform for incubator participants to share their work worldwide.
About
Dr Maggie Buxton conceived this combined publication and symposium and is the curator and producer for this project. Maggie has spent thirty years opening portals between different realities, most recently including emerging technologies such as AR into her practice. Her goal is always to expand possibilities, disrupt existing mindsets and connect people more deeply to the spirit of place and to the planet.
An idea to open a portal through to many different realities using the theme of gardening became an international invitation to AwhiWorld’s extensive cross-disciplinary network of collaborators and partner organisations. This included Australian partner TreeCreate and members of the global transdisciplinary network SEADS (Space Ecology Art Design)). Former and current participants in AwhiWorld creative innovation labs and projects were also invited to contribute.
The initial call-out (which resonated closely with Maggie’s PhD research) was as follows:
Places today are formed from multiple intelligences, materialities and lifeforms and are intersected by a rich array of alternative realities and parallel worlds. Flora, fauna, signals, code entangle, and what is considered real, true, alive and beautiful is negotiated. In this context:
• What gardens are emerging or possible? In what realms and realities do they exist?
• What is being cultivated (internally, creatively, physically, spiritually)?
• What is thriving and what needs protection?
• What new lifeforms and materials are emerging, and how do they intersect with what exists now?
• What are you foraging? propagating? grafting together? cooking?
• What is your place?
Next Steps
The e-publication will now be turned into a physical publication in the next few months. There will also be a related podcast and other collateral created all designed to support connection to the planet, expand possibilities and disrupt narrowed mindsets.
For updates on how Alternative Reality Gardening unfolds subscribe today.
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