TT Journal, Vol.1, ISSUE 1, 3rd November 2020
Václav Cílek: Plague as an Innovation: The World After Covid
Czech geologist, writer and philosopher explores the historical context of our current situation, by examining the relationship between re-occurring waves of plaque and humanity’s response in finding resistance, creativity and transcendence, as evidenced in the arts.
Lucy Lyons: Absurd Consequences of Walking in the Time of Covid
Using the rules of a surrealist game Exquisite Corpse, Margate based artist Lucy Lyons finds an ingenious and absurd way of walking together alone, in reality and imagination, resulting in a performance finally shared between participants on Zoom.
Daniel & Clara: Liminal Landscapes
UK based artist Daniel & Clara, whose films explore landscape as a place somewhere between external reality and interior world of memory and imagination, discuss elements of their creative process and the importance of being fully immersed in a landscape.
Rob Kaplowitz: Mindless Influence
American composer and sound artist Rob Kaplowitz warns of the dangers of binary thinking and of being shaped by the tools we use, without balancing this with the softness of our humanity.
Gabriel Josipovici: Covid Diary
British novelist and playwright Gabriel Josipovici created a simple structure of daily diary writing to keep creative over 100 days of the spring lockdown. This particular entry reflects on the idea of a native language in connection to one’s sense of self as well as being a writer.
Jan Švankmajer: Plenty of Reasons to Revolt
Czech surrealist artist Jan Švankmajer in an interview about his thoughts on art, surrealism, the state of our civilisation and the role of imagination and synesthesia in providing alternative views to those that have been established by consumerism.
Johanna Gibbons: Conversations on Urban Forestry
London based landscape architect Jo Gibbons draws our attention to the importance of trees within urban environment, by sharing with us her conversation with artist Michael Smythe who established Phytology (an artist and community led project in East London).
Steve J Fowler: Experiences of Necessity
London based writer and poet S J Fowler spends some of his lockdown time criss-crossing the metropolis, carrying a walking stick and recording voice messages to his friends around the world.
Rosalyn Driscoll: Sensory Imagination
American sculptor Roz Driscoll reminds us that at the basis of all perception lies imagination, and as such, imagination is firmly grounded in the world of the senses. Her own practice spanning many decades has rigorously investigated some of these questions.
Roberto Trotta: Vintage 2020: A reflection on the sensual universe that is fading away from us
Professor of Astrostatistics at Imperial College London, currently in Trieste, shares a personal account of his pandemic experience, filled with sensuous joys, which now also come with a tinge of grief for what we may be losing.
Charles Spence: Sensehacking: Maintaining a balanced diet of multisensory stimulation during COVID-19 lockdown, and why it matters
In this comprehensive article, Professor Charles Spence, Head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University discusses how our more emotional senses, namely smell, touch, and taste have been affected by the pandemic and suggests methods of ‘sensehacking’ to counterbalance this potentially damaging effect.
Anna Ciaunica: Transparent Senses (in Self-Isolation Dinner)
French philosopher and cognitive scientist based between France, Portugal and London, Anna Ciaunica discusses artist Tereza Stehlikova’s latest short film Self-Isolation Dinner, with a focus on what she describes as the transparent senses.
Steph Singer: Making Multi-sensory Work in the Era of Social Distancing
Director and composer Steph Singer, currently based in London, shares with us her creative openness to change, giving us a glimpse into the uniquely inventive and adaptable creative process she devised with her team, making sure that touch (together with sound) is still the core part of her practice.
Vaughn Tan: Revelation and Discovery
Strategy author, consultant, and professor discusses the importance of accepting and even embracing uncertainty, as a catalyst for creative transformation, whether on an individual or company level.
Carsten Friberg: Presence and Absence: Reflections on Being in Touch with Current Events
Danish philosopher Carsten Friberg reflects on the pandemic and our reaction, both as individuals and society, in the context of globalisation, while questioning what it is right in front of us, that we may not be ‘seeing’.