‘The days with the School of Unlived Worlds offered doorways that I didn’t know existed, to connect in a deeper and stranger way with nature, both inside and outside of myself.’

Simon (35) micro-biologist

Open Call for participating in the
„School of Unlived Worlds“

Deadline July 21st, 2023

Are you a playful nature lover, ecologist, artist, biologist, dancer, philosopher, forester, scout or other curious critter? And are you interested in investigating the cross section of ecology, philosophy and art in an inspiring group of people?

La Strada offers a three day experience hosted by the ‘School of Unlived Worlds’ from the 29th to the 31st of July. During these days you will go on unusual expeditions into the forest of Kalkleiten (close to Graz). 

Dutch artists Emke Idema, Marie Groothof and Floor Cremers have created a method of experimental ecology, embodied philosophy and playful exchange, that trains you to shift paradigms and lay bare blind spots and lacunas in the narratives we live in. It offers a fresh lived experience of the area and is a gateway to new ideas on nature, on ourselves and the relations that emerge from that.

As a group of fifteen people plus the three artists, you will practice this method. You will repeatedly enter the forest in unknown playful ways. Together, you will design interventions that challenge our regular intelligence and tune in to other ways of understanding and relating with our habitat. The interventions can be understood as approximations, changes of perspective and as playful experimentation. How will the forest appear to us, if we enter it in unknown ways? Crawling, once again, on all fours to hidden places, turning in slow circles around one’s own axis, following an ant into its world or singing with the birds? The knowledge cultivated in this way, but also the knowledge already brought along, will be harvested and shared together.

Accompanying this practice, you will read inspiring texts from philosophers, ecologists and artists that will feed your actions and you will exchange thoughts and practices.

The School has had previous editions on the island of Terschelling (Netherlands),  in the cityscape of Milan (Italy), and in the salt marsh landscape close to Groningen (the Netherlands).

Very special and completely new experiences: listening to the world in a new way, using all of your senses and your wild imagination. Things came to life that I couldn’t anticipate.

Elize (20), student „Future Planet Studies“

‘Enriching, uplifting, humorous, relaxed. It brings you very close to nature, to yourself, to being-human, all in a new way.’

Astrid (40), forester

If you want to sign up, please send a motivation and a short introduction of yourself via the form below until July 14th. There is space for 15 participants. In case of more applications, the artists of the School of Unlived Worlds will make a selection. The intention is to create an interesting and diverse group.

Please note that there will be daily hikes in the forest in partly also steep terrain, which is why medium condition and adequate shoes are important. We also strongly recommend a booster of the TBE vaccination. The exchange, talks and discussions in the „School of Unlived Worlds“ will take place in English. Therefore, it is important that you feel comfortable communicating in English.

FACTS

When: 29th to 31th July
For whom: Everyone who is deeply engaged with the topic and has a playful mind
How many people: maximum 15 people
Costs: Euro 135,– for 3 days (incl. shuttle transfer from the city of Graz and lunch on site)
Time: from 10.30 am to 6 pm, shuttle transfers from the city centre of Graz to Kalkleiten and back
Language: English
Closing date open call: July 14th
By: School of Unlived Worlds / Emke Idema, Marie Groothof and Floor Cremers

Organized and co-produced by Festival La Strada Graz, IN SITU and Stichting STRANGER.

For more information on the School:
Homepage of the School of Unlived Worlds