Yale School of Architecture has announced new J. Irwin Miller Symposium titled ''Aesthetic Activism'', which will be held between October 13-15, 2016 at Rudolph Hall. This symposium, convened by Mark Foster Gage, explores emerging positions that cast aesthetics as the primary discourse for social, ecological, and political engagement. 

In contrast to commonly held opinions that these issues are antithetical to the aesthetic, recent work in aesthetic theory across multiple disciplines suggests that such political and ontological problems may be best addressed as aspects of aesthetic experience. An interdisciplinary group of philosophers, scholars, media theorists, artists, curators, and architects will speculate on how a reignited discourse on aesthetics is prompting new insights into our relationships with not only objects, spaces, environments, and ecologies, but also with each other and political structures in which we are all enmeshed. Philosophical viewpoints foregrounding aesthetics, including Accelerationism, Afro-Futurism, Dark Ecology, Extro-Science Fiction, Disobedient Objects, Immaterialism, Object-Oriented Ontology, and Xenofeminism, will be explored and discussed through a series of lectures, presentations of work, and interdisciplinary roundtable discussions.

After Yale School of Architecture announcement, Patrik Schumacher, director of ZHA, posted a response on his Facebook as related to the event, embracing aesthetic values as a primary discourse for social, ecological, and political engagement. 

Schumacher said that ''forthcoming Yale symposium Aesthetic Activism “casts aesthetics as the primary discourse for social, ecological, and political engagement. Political problems may be best addressed as aspects of aesthetic experience.” Really?? That’s great, so as aesthetes we can now claim to be political activists!!! How is this meant to be made credible? How do you pull this off? By inviting one of those aging but ever-adolescent hyper-trendy French philosopher-‘communists’ - who thrive in elite universities and art fairs and let them dazzle your politically and philosophically innocent architectural audience. 

''Then pile in lots of the latest super-trendy hyperbolic radical theory including “Accelerationism, Afro-Futurism, Dark Ecology, Extro-Science Fiction, Disobedient Objects, Immaterialism, Object-Oriented Ontology, and Xenofeminism” and mix it up with your most ambitious architectural pals searching for meaning or rhetoric or both. Don’t worry too much about what kind of political action program this pile of pretensions might add up to: I guess the symposium itself is all the “activism” we can ever expect here. Or? … Is this really the way to fulfill architecture’s healthy craving for societal meaning and purpose? … Anyway, it’s certainly going to be fun and thought provoking.''

Register for Symposium

Date: Thursday, October 13, 2016 - 6:30pm to Saturday, October 15, 2016 - 5:30pm

Venue: Rudolph Hall See map
180 York Street, New Haven, CT 06511

Program

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Evening Session, 6:30 pm
Elaine Scarry, Harvard University
“Building and Breath: Beauty and the Pact of Aliveness”

Reception
Architecture Gallery, 2nd floor

Friday, October 14, 2016

Morning Session, 10:00 am
Symposium Introduction
Mark Foster Gage, Yale University

Aesthetics At Earth Magnitude: Capital, Property, And Ecology

Introduction
Jonathan Massey, California College of the Arts

Keller Easterling, Yale University
“English”
Catherine Ingraham, Pratt Institute
“Contingent Excess and Charismatic Property”
Timothy Morton, Rice University
“Use the Force”

Roundtable Discussion
Jonathan Massey, California College of the Arts (moderator)
Keller Easterling, Yale University
Catherine Ingraham, Pratt Institute
Timothy Morton, Rice University

Afternoon Session, 2:00 pm
The Aesthetics Of Equality: Object Oriented Ontology And Social Theory

Introduction
Ferda Kolatan, University of Pennsylvania

Graham Harman, Southern California Institute of Architecture (on leave from the American University in Cairo)
“A Different Sense of Mimesis”

Roundtable Discussion
Ferda Kolatan, University of Pennsylvania (moderator)
Graham Harman, Southern California Institute of Architecture (on leave from the American University in Cairo)
Ariane Lourie Harrison, Yale University
David Ruy, Southern California Institute of Architecture
Elaine Scarry, Harvard University
Tom Wiscombe, Southern California Institute of Architecture

Afternoon Break (4:30- 6:15)

Evening Session, 6:30 pm
Jacques Rancière, Université Paris VIII in conversation with Mark Foster Gage, Yale University

Reception
Architecture Gallery, 2nd floor

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Morning Session, 9:00 am
THE AESTHETICS OF ACTIVISM: AFRO-FUTURISM, XENOFEMINISM AND DISOBEDIENT OBJECTS

Introduction
Peggy Deamer, Yale University

Nettrice Gaskins, Boston Arts Academy
“Cosmogramic Design: A Cultural Model of the Aesthetic Response”
Diann Bauer, Artist
“Xenotemporal Futures”
Catherine Flood, Victoria & Albert museum, London
“Disobedient Objects”

Morning Session, 9:00 am
The Aesthetics Of Activism: Afro-Futurism, Xenofeminism And Disobedient Objects

Introduction
Peggy Deamer, Yale University

Nettrice Gaskins, Boston Arts Academy
“Cosmogramic Design: A Cultural Model of the Aesthetic Response”
Diann Bauer, Artist
“Xenotemporal Futures”
Catherine Flood, Victoria & Albert museum, London
“Disobedient Objects”

Roundtable Discussion
Peggy Deamer, Yale University (moderator)
Diann Bauer, Artist
Nettrice Gaskins, Boston Arts Academy
Jonathan Massey, California College of the Arts
Catherine Flood, Victoria & Albert museum, London

Early Afternoon Session, 12:30 pm
The Aesthetics Of Activism: Accelerationism, Afro-Futurism, Disobedient Objects And Xenofeminism

Introduction
Michael Speaks, Syracuse University

Roundtable Discussion
Michael Speaks, Syracuse University (moderator)
Hernan Diaz Alonso, Southern California Institute of Architecture
Lydia Kallipoliti, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Jason Payne, University of California, Los Angeles
Rhett Russo, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Albena Yaneva, University of Manchester

Late Afternoon Session, 2:00 pm
The Aesthetics Of The Other: Alienation, Estrangement, And Unfamiliarity

Introduction
Michael Young, Yale University

Gregory Crewdson, Yale University
“There but Not There”
Caroline Picard, Curator
“The Strangers Among Us”
Pamela Rosenkrantz, Artist
“title tbd”

Roundtable Discussion
Michael Young, Yale University (moderator)
Gregory Crewdson, Yale University
Caroline Picard, Curator
Pamela Rosenkrantz, Artist
Roger Rothman, Bucknell University

Conclusion, 4:45 pm
Concluding Remarks
David Ruy, Southern California Institute of Architecture

Reception
Architecture Gallery, 2nd floor

Although there is no charge for attendance, reservations are required prior to October 10, 2016. You may register online at www.architecture.yale.edu/symposia or by phone at 203.432.8621. The Yale School of Architecture is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System. Credit earned by attending this symposium will be reported to CES Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA members are available upon request.

Hastings Hall is equipped with assistive hearing devices for guests using hearing aids that have a “T” coil.

Top image courtesy of Yale School of Architecture

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