Thinking with birds

While the cultural and natural world are not separate, they form individual constructs in our minds. By looking at interactions with birds in an urban context, this project contributes to critical consideration of this dichotomy in everyday life. In doing so, this research contributes to a growing awareness of the negative effect of this dichotomy on our ability to imagine the dramatic and rapid deterioration of the natural world we live in.

For a year, changing groups of participants with different backgrounds, histories and experiences study the (changing) rhythms and habits of four bird species in Amsterdam: the rose-ringed parakeet, the rooster, the blue heron and the mallard. Through a workshop format, artistic and ethnographic observation methods are used to invite different kinds of knowledge, imagine different Umwelts and use different forms of language to map the experience of shared (spatial) infrastructures. As a result there will be four small biographies and a usable workshop format for education presented in a mini-symposium early 2025. This research is taking place under the Academy for Theatre and Dance and the Reinwardt Academy.

For questions, comments, and ideas email marit.vandijk@ahk.nl.

Participate in one of the workshops or stay informed about the progress of this research? Register here to receive the irregular newsletter.

Calendar:

Course animals and humans – 14 March (Reinwardt students only)
Public walk in spring: 28 March (public) 12.00-13.30
Course heritage festival – 12 April (Reinwardt students only)
Public walk in summer: 27 June (public)
Public walk in autumn: 10 October (public)

If you have registered for the irregular newsletter you will receive an invitation for the public walks two weeks beforehand.