Mosses were the first plants to emerge from the waters, some 470 million years ago. Beside us on the pavement; resting above us on roofs; hugging rocks and trees – mosses are our omnipresent and often ignored ancestors. What might these living fossils teach us? What stories do they hold?
Taking references from scientific study and the radical space opened up when we shift from a human-centred perspective, this workshop is a collective journey through life at other scales.
The workshop will start with a reading, followed by a guided imagination exercise, building towards a collective storytelling inspired by mosses and other small organisms. Participants are welcome to share their impressions or to listen to others.
No knowledge is necessary. This is a non-expert space of speculation. Bring an open mind, and if you would like, bring some moss!
This workshop will be held in the main gallery at Site Gallery. Led by artist Jamie Allan, in dialogue with the work of Victoria Lucas in the Platform 20: Heavy Water exhibition. Once you arrive please sign in at reception and a member of staff will guide you to the event.
For this workshop, you will be invited to use floor cushions and beanbags to sit in the space. If you prefer a chair, that’s no problem, just let a member of staff know when you sign in.
This event is suitable for ages 11+
Please be aware that the workshop facilitators will at times not wear masks while facilitating the event, but we ask that participants over the age of 11 wear a mask during this event unless exempt. We ask you to respect our staff, volunteers and visitors by following our house rules relating to Covid-19 safety during your visit.
Image: Coalesce, Video Projection (Still), 2021
Artists
Jamie Allan
Jamie Allan is an artist, filmmaker and curator with a background in documentary filmmaking and community cinema. His recent work revolves around the ecological reverberations of human histories, with a specific focus on the relations between animals and human border zones. He has a Masters in Documentary Film from the DocNomads itinerant film school, and is currently a researcher with the Collective Practices Post-Master at the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm.