Conjurations and other ways of gaining new knowledge

Under the illusive cloak of magic, the curiosity of alchemists introduced a means for experimentation into the innate properties of materials. The transformation of raw matter into precious metals, the combination of hot sulphur and wet, cold mercury to birth the philosopher’s stone; to bring the inanimate to life, to vanish miraculously and conjure the body, as well as providing a foundation for the laws of substance based on sensory interaction and its potentiality. The scientific practices of today echo this inherent desire for material vitally ‘alive’ transformations, yet Western tradition remains cautious of unreasoned sensorial data, often treating it with trepidation. While this paradigm has proven an efficient methodology, it has installed a discriminatory partition between that which can be rationalised or mathematized and that which is supposedly ‘only’ sensory. These energised and sensate transformations mark the beginning of a new challenge against tradition, returning to curiosity, experimentation and the intensity of the senses away from conventional modes of thought.

80% attendance; active collaboration in form of research and presentations, reading the literature and preparation of introductory notes, project work: exploring and re/presenting project in small groups

limited number of participants