C.R.A.S.H Conversations

The C.R.A.S.H Conversations were facilitated by the Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination (Lab of ii), exploring the relationships between art, permaculture and activism, and their role in providing radical solutions to the ecological crisis.

On Activism looked at the performative media events created by direct action groups fighting for climate justice, including Plane Stupid’s runway invasions, members of Climate Rush gluing themselves to a statue in the Houses of Parliament and the activities of Climate Camp, asking how and whether art can develop the aesthetics of activism, and together with strategies learnt from permaculture, prefigure a postcapitalist future?

On Art discussed how and why artists can work more collaboratively with radical social movements rather than working autonomously, looking at outcomes that changed the world including Gustav Courbet’s work on the Paris Commune, Sylvia Pankhurst’s suffragette actions and the Situationist influence on May 1968.

On Permaculture asked whether this ecological design system, described as ‘the art of creating beneficial relationships’, ‘the science of connections’ or even ‘revolution disguised as gardening’ could provide solutions to the global crisis.