Connecting artists with experts
On November 4 and 5, a wide range of Concordia University faculty and researchers from the departments of Music, Design and Computation Arts, Geography, Political Science, Communication Studies, and the John Molson School of Business, are presenting Balance-Unbalance – a unique arts-led multidisciplinary conference on environmental sustainability.
Balance-Unbalance invites musicians, sculptors, poets, multimedia creators and all other artists to join with scientists, environmentalists, geographers, politicians, business managers, engineers, policymakers, NGO representatives and others to explore how they can form strategic partnerships to improve sustainability and environmental awareness.
Both days are chock full of presentations, discussions and workshops that range from sound-walk interactions and the “art” of entrepreneurship to using improvisation to build awareness and listening to birds to understand the feelings expressed in nature and how environmental changes affect the ability of species to communicate.
The innovative approach is the product of Ricardo Dal Farra’s concern that a solution to the looming environmental crisis won’t be found unless everyone is spurred into action.
“About a year ago, I started thinking about my responsibilities as an artist,” says Dal Farra, an associate professor in Concordia’s Department of Music. “So I invited artists and experts from various fields to gather for one day, and we had a good conference.”
Nagging at him was the need to do more. He began asking people in various Concordia departments whether they believed artists could make a difference.
To his surprise, everyone involved with science, technology, engineering and other fields related to the environment responded positively. Dal Farra says scientists told him they know the problem while technology experts said they know what we can do; however, artists were needed to raise the awareness of as many people as possible, and as quickly as possible.
The same response came from Pablo Suarez, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre’s associate director of programs, who will attend the conference, along with others such as pioneering interactive music composer Joel Chadabe, who founded the Ear to the Earth environmental sound network.
Eldad Tsabary, a Department of Music lecturer and Balance-Unbalance organizer, emphasizes the goal of connecting artists with experts from other disciplines to develop unconventional approaches to spurring environmental awareness and action.
“As artists, we have the means to make people really see, hear and feel what’s happening, and that might inspire them to act in ways that merely talking about environmental issues can’t necessary do,” he says.
Balance-Unbalance builds upon Concordia’s sustainability leadership in everything from research to recycling on campus. Tsabary says it’s the perfect university for holding an untraditional environmental conference.
“Concordia has always been a young-minded university, especially in the Faculty of Fine Arts,” Tsabary says. “It’s constantly pushing the envelope.”
Del Farra is excited about the potential outcomes. “We expect – and want – the unexpected that we hope comes from artists realizing the power they have, especially working with others,” he says. “The last session will be open for everyone to present collaborative ideas and how we should follow up.”
Balance-Unbalance
When: Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5
Where: Multiple locations on the Sir George Williams Campus (John Molson School of Business Building, 1450 Guy St.; Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex, 1515 Ste-Catherine St. W.; and D.B. Clarke Theatre in the Henry F. Hall Building, 1455 De Maisonneuve. Blvd. W.)
The conference is free of charge and wheelchair accessible. Online registration required.
Related links :
• Balance-Unbalance
• Hexagram
• Hexagram-Concordia
• Faculty of Fine Arts
• Department of Music
• Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre
• Ear to the Earth