THE READING ROOM #34
Sissel Marie Tonn and
guest host Victoria Douka-Doukopoulou
OPENING: 1th of March, 17:00h
Texts by:
Anna Tsing:
The Mushroom at the End of the World
More info: facebook
Description: Darwin placed attention as the most basic factor for survival of a species. Attention in an evolutionary perspective is assumed as a capacity that we not only need to have, but that we even have to develop, stimulate and exercise in order to survive. The brain-body constantly filters out, zooms in on, and predicts sensory inputs that are deemed important for our survival. In this context it is interesting that the anthropologist Anna Tsing proposes a necessary practice she calls “arts of noticing” as a survival mechanism opposing the “forward march of progress”. This rhythmical “forward march of progress” includes the systems and technologies developed throughout the previous century which have left our ecosystem at the brink of climate collapse. In a present where environmental change is the single biggest challenge to our species, how must we learn to perceive and react to our surroundings differently? Artist and Reading Room co-organizer Sissel Marie Tonn has invited artist Victoria Douka-Doukopoulou to a discussion of a chapter from Anna Tsing’s book “The Mushroom At The End Of The World”, which has greatly informed both of theirartistic practices. Together with participants we will uncover the possibilities for co-evolving with other species and learning from the logic of mushrooms.
Post-session screening:
Sissel has invited Victoria to screen her film acatalog.allthingsinvisible.online, as part of the current exhibition on show in See Lab Project Space - Sentinels - by Helena Sanders and Sissel Marie Tonn. Read more about Sentinels here.
About the screening:
acatalog.allthingsinvisible.online complies stories of the invisible, the unthinkable and the inappreciable. The three-fold catalog indexes scores for a performative lecture, a documentary and an archive that can never be actualised as their building material is the invisible itself. The catalog is mainly words — technical words, english words motivated by the sensitivity of practicing the art of noticing, of looking for traces and ways of knowing and world making.
Details for participating:
There are a limited number of spaces available for this event. As this is a discussion, you are expected to have read the provided texts before attending and think of a few questions and concerns you have regarding the text, which you would like to address with the group. Please reserve a spot by sending an email to platformtm@gmail.com. We will also provide you with a copy of the texts once you have RSVP’d.
NB:
As we are currently operating outside public funding schemes we ask participants to contribute with 3-5€ for the event. We will serve coffee/tea and a snack!
About The Reading Room:
The Reading Room emerged as an event series taking place bi-monthly at Stroom Den Haag between 2015-2018, and was organized by Jonathan Reus, Sissel Marie Tonn and Flora Reznik - and co-produced by artist initiative iii. Currently it exists as a nomadic format, shape-shifting into new contexts where collective study might provide useful insights. Please check www.platformtm.tumblr.com for our past work!
photos by Sissel Marie Tonn