Zoom Link: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/j/91576795782

For this event we have invited four early career curators and arts administrators with innovative practices to share and think about their projects in terms of the Synthetic Collective’s approach of “enough.” What does “enough” look like when confronted with the pressures of granting cycles, job insecurity, and growing wealth disparity? Are there ways to nurture our practices collaboratively, slowly, or in a dispersed manner?

Teresa Carlesimo, Lillian O’Brien Davis, Juliane Foronda, and Maya Wilson Sanchez will share short presentations on their work, followed by an in-depth discussion hosted by Amanda White.

The Synthetic Collective espouses an approach of enough: ecological footprints must be taken into account when weighing aesthetic decisions. An aesthetic of enough is one that simultaneously acknowledges and values the past, present, and future—enough already!— in its refusal of high carbon, high energy, high waste productions. An approach of enough requires humility, and practicality: sustainability, in terms of resources and human energy, is directly linked to systems that can break if we overspend them. It means we should put in a lot of effort to build more equitable worlds, but that should be accompanied with an ethic of care, mindful that we don’t burn out and the planet doesn’t burn up. Enough is an aesthetic based in achieving maximum impact with the minimum of resources. Enough is a counterpoint to the implied goal of museum-standard perfection and a culture that valorizes work above all else.

This event will have ASL and graphic interpretation.

*In Fall 2021, the Centre for Sustainable Curating posted a survey on accessing virtual events. Weekend afternoons scored very highly, particularly for those working full time. For this reason, Burn Up/Burn Out will be hosted on a Sunday afternoon for a live audience, and recorded and posted for 30 days on www.sustainablecurating.ca

The carbon impact of all events in the Waste/Care/Carbon/Labour Speakers Series will be calculated and shared in 2023.