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04 Aug 23 | Events
Everything is Connected
Everything is Connected takes inspiration from the idea that everything is connected in the human and natural world. This rich and varied series of conversations and events is taking place in multiple locations across the City of Oxford and online.
At the heart of the programme are four interconnected themes:
Wonder
At nature’s extraordinary systems and places.
Be aware
Of our mark on the natural world.
Relearn
The stories we tell ourselves about the past and the present.
Imagine
And share the stories that will help us to live in the future
The packed season includes Michael Pinsky’s Pollution Pods, an innovative installation raising awareness about air pollution and its impact on our health.
The Pods arrive on the front quad of St John’s College from Sat 21 October to Sat 5th November. This powerful and immersive artwork, seen worldwide, raises important and pertinent questions about our climate and has been at the centre of continued calls for action over climate change at the UN Climate Action Summit. Made up of five geodesic domes, each pod represents a specific location, recreating the distinctive atmospheres in highly polluted areas like Beijing, London, São Paulo, and New Delhi. Entry to the Pods is free.
As we prepare for the opening of the new Schwarzman Centre, the Cultural Programme team are producing a series of live and online events, bringing leading performers and artists to Oxford. Partners and local communities from across the city and region are already involved in contributing to this new programme which is inspired by Oxford research. We look forward to welcoming audiences to what promises to be a provocative and enjoyable season.
John FulljamesDirector
Other partnerships in the programme include:
Natural dye workshops and Ethical Fashion ‘in conversation’ as part of the Ashmolean Museum World in Colour Season.
Family workshops and commissioning three new stories in collaboration with The Story Museum. Throughout 2023-2024, The Story Museum is running a year-long season entitled Stories to Save the World exploring positive climate action through a story-based experience.
Tell it to the Birds at Oxford University Museum of Natural History is a distinctive sound art installation by interdisciplinary ecological artist and environmental activist Jenny Kendler. It encapsulates the theme of human-nature interconnectivity, offering an immersive experience that highlights environmental awareness and sustainable living.
A significant new exhibition of Swedish artist, activist, writer, and eco-feminist Monica Sjöö the first institutional solo presentation on Sjöö’s work exploring the artist’s deep engagement with artistic, political, and eco-feminist practice that chimes with many challenges today at Modern Art Oxford.
The Museum on Climate Hope. The new digital trail through Oxford University’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) highlights positive steps in addressing climate change.
Walk among the trees and experience great music, conversation and closeness to the healing power of nature with Songpath, part of Oxford International National Song Festival at Harcourt Arboretum.
St John’s College is committed to supporting our local community. We are proud to work in partnership with many local organisations, including the Oxford Playhouse, Oxford Preservation Trust, and local primary schools. St John’s is delighted to be supporting the pollution pods as part of the ‘Everything is Connected’ programme this autumn. We look forward to welcoming visitors to experience Michael Pinsky’s Pollution Pods in our front quad and to raising awareness of the impact of air pollution on health.
Professor Dame Sue BlackDBE, OBE, FRS President, St John’s College
Woven into the programme is a series of ‘in conversations’ with artists, environmentalists, academics and activists who will discuss artworks, exhibitions and ideas around the Everything is Connected theme. Each conversation will be joined by a poet who will share a new piece of work inspired by the conversation.
Echoing the theme of the programme, we are working hard to ensure our events are environmentally friendly, ethical, and globally conscious. We have endeavoured to create a diverse programme that provokes debate and builds relationships to help us all on our sustainable journey.
As the season draws to a close, a gathering will bring artists, scientists, academics, students, and city voices together to sow the seeds for future collaborations.
.humanities.ox.ac.uk/article/groundbreaking-ceremony-marks-start-of-schwarzman-centre-construction
04 Aug 23