Acknowledgement of Country

Overview

The Language of Nature symposium as part of PONY’s CONFLUENCE project will be live streamed on March 10, 2020. Join a selection of leading scientists, historians, educators, and Australian First Nations knowledge holders for this free panel discussion.

The Language of Nature is a platform to share cultural and scientific stories that collectively rethink the foundations of existence which underpin our interconnectedness with the planet. Cross-disciplinary vocabularies will inform alternative bodies of knowledge, to demonstrate the urgency of building cross-sector relationships to address the climate crisis. During the past 6 months, PONY, and project partners Bundanon and The Cabot Institute for the Environment have been collaborating with a range of leading experts, discussing the latest scientific discoveries, and First Nations cultural expressions; unearthing insights about how the natural world communicates with us, and how we, as humans, have changed this vocabulary.

Bringing a diversity of voices together to challenge generalisations around climate change, the panel will reveal some of the latest scientific findings and Indigenous stories about how we might generate new behaviours and understanding, to ultimately embed ecological thinking into everyday life for a more sustainable future.

Thursday 10 March 2022: 9AM in the UK (GMT) and 8PM in Australia (AEST-Daylight Savings)

This event will be delivered online via Zoom and last 60-75 minutes.

This symposium is presented as part of CONFLUENCE, in association with The British Council’s UK/AU 21-22 Season Programme. PONY is proud to have Bundanon and The Cabot Institute for the Environment as partners of the CONFLUENCE project.

More about the project:

PONY presents CONFLUENCE, a multi-faceted project that explores the meaning and implications of climate change across multiple viewpoints; integrating western science and Indigenous knowledge to activate a shared imagination for the future.

Collaborating with lead partners Bundanon and The Cabot Institute for the Environment, in addition to other supporters, the programme will make connections between past, present, and future to inspire deeper understanding of the climate emergency. Disseminating the latest scientific research, First Nations cultural expression and the different ways societies communicate with the natural world; and how these
responses inform changing ideas about what it means to be human.

CONFLUENCE aims to transform perspectives of place, build solidarity, and share new narratives; altering how people emotionally engage with the natural world through new site-responsive encounters, curated
conversations, and digital platforms to create a more sustainable future.

Dates

Live Streamed Symposium: 10 March 2022
Digital Platforms & Field Notes: April 2022 onwards
Site Responsive + Engagement Activities (AU): April – Dec 2022
Site Responsive Activities + School Engagement in UK: July-Dec 2022

About

PONY is an independent commissioning agency, based in the South West of England, producing site responsive public art + creative collaborations that inspire engagement with cultural stories. Whether the
outcomes are temporary or permanent, all projects are derived from the experience of an engagement with place and the ideas that formed them. We commission site and situation-specific projects with leading
contemporary artists and cultural organisations, presenting ideas which consider the world in new ways. We are official Producing Partners of Art and the Public Realm, Bristol, an ArtsMark Partner Organisation and a proud member of the Gallery Climate Coalition.

The Cabot Institute for the Environment at the University of Bristol is a diverse community of 600 experts, united by a common cause: protecting our environment and identifying ways of living better with our changing planet.

Bundanon is a place charged with inspiration. Celebrating art and ideas, Bundanon promotes the value of landscape in all our lives. The establishment of Bundanon represents one of the most significant acts of
philanthropy in the history of the arts in Australia. Arthur and Yvonne Boyd’s gift of Bundanon in 1993 was driven by a big vision, which has been built upon by subsequent acts of private generosity and government
support, creating the cultural institution for artistic enjoyment and learning that thrives today on the South Coast of New South Wales. Bundanon is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Sydney. Located on 1000 hectares in the Australian bush, Bundanon places caring for the environment at the centre of its mission and supports innovative and responsible approaches to managing the land, providing a platform
for primary research. The organisation provides immersive experiences encompassing the Boyd legacy and collection, First Nations history and the unique landscape, alongside ambitious exhibition, and engagement programs. Bundanon’s dramatic new facilities, the Art Museum and Bridge or creative learning open in early 2022.