Welcome Address
Cherie Federico
09:30-09:45

Cherie Federico, Founder, Director and Editor of Aesthetica, kicked off the 2022 Future Now Symposium with a Keynote Speech. In this opening address, Federico introduced some of the key topics for the day: from art that responds to the climate crisis – the application of AI in altered ecosystems – to the changing role of the curator post-pandemic, and art that reframes discussions surrounding history and identity. She outlined the sessions for the day, including the complementary refreshments and evening film screening, whilst introducing some of the finalists of the Aesthetica Art Prize 2022, who joined us after the sessions to discuss their work, ahead of the Art Prize Exhibition opening at York Art Gallery on 24 June.

What is a “Better” World?
Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg
10:00-11:00

Habitat loss, pesticides, invasive species and carbon burning are causing a terrifying decline in pollinator populations around the world. Plants are vital to the survival of life on Earth, both for humanity, and for the some 8.7 million species that exist on the planet. Dr Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg has spent over 10 years examining our fraught relationship with nature and technology, combining the fields of artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, conservation, and biodiversity as she investigates the impulse to “better” the world and what this looks like. For her most recent commission for the Eden Project, she devised a unique algorithmic tool that allows for the most empathetic planting design, produced from a pollinator’s perspective, rather than our own, creating living works that respond to our world.

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The Power of Discomfort: Art That Shatters Stereotypes | Sutapa Biswas & Allie Biswas
11:15-12:15

British Indian artist Sutapa Biswas has had an extensive career, from being a vital contributor to the British Black Arts Movement in the 1980s to contributing to wider conversations about identity, dislocation and belonging in the 21^st century. Her works, spanning painting and drawing, film, digital video, performance and photography, employ “beauty” to visually disrupt, challenge and provoke the viewer, whilst engaging with questions of identity, race and gender in relation to time, space and history. She is interested in how larger historical narratives collide with the personal. In conversation with writer and editor Allie Biswas, the artist discussed her work in relation to  interdisciplinarity, whilst acknowledging the Eurocentric limitations of the contemporary art world.

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Who is the 21st Century Curator?
Hayward Gallery; NPG; Art House; Open Eye Gallery
13:45-14:45

According to a 2021 survey by ArtFund, more than half of curators feel able to “take risks” in the content or subject matter of exhibitions, with 22% stating that they are encouraged to do so. But, what constitutes “taking risks”? What kinds of exhibitions are being planned over the next 12 months, and what world are we responding to in the process? What responsibility do curators play today, and how do the decisions we make within the institution affect culture at large? In this illuminating session, a panel of world-renowned representatives from Hayward Gallery; National Portrait Gallery; Art House, Wakefield; and Open Eye Gallery, discussed the realities of their role in 2022 – balancing exhibition planning, collections management, research, fundraising and professional development. 

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The Personal is Political
Poulomi Basu in Conversation with Bindi Vora  
15:00-16:00

Through a practice that combines photography, moving image, sound and installation world-renowned transmedia artist, photographer and activist Poulomi Basu was in conversation with Autograph’s curator Bindi Vora. Together they discussed how activism, protest and resistance underpins her work, examining the intersections of race, class and gender and the experience of systemic violence. Basu has become widely known for her influential photographic projects Blood Speaks, Centralia, To Conquer Her Land, and her most recent work Fireflies, which forms part of her solo exhibition at Autograph. As we reflected on the arc of her work, this conversation touched upon some of the enduring legacies of women’s trauma. This was a powerful and essential discussion.

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Who Controls History? 
Larry Achiampong
16:15-17:15

Larry Achiampong is an award-winning artist who employs aural and visual archives, live performance and sound to explore ideas surrounding class, heritage and memory, as well as cross-cultural and post-digital identities. He splices personal and collective archives to reveal socio-political contradictions throughout history, questioning modes of agency in the age of mass-migration and technologisation. His ongoing project, Relic Traveller, is a speculative piece that considers the rise of nationalism, capitalism and globalisation. The piece is infused with speculative narratives, imagining a world where the global west has devolved, and the African Union ascends into prosperity, harmony, independence and responsibility. Achiampong discussed pop culture and postcolonialism.

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Social Documentary: People, Places, Photographs
Jamie Hawkesworth in Conversation
17:30-18:30

Between the years of 2007 and 2020, a tumultuous period in British history which included the credit crunch, riots, Brexit and the accelerated Black Lives Matter movement, Jamie Hawkesworth set out to photograph the UK and its diverse communities, based on the sole desire to travel and see places for what they were, not what they were perceived to be. Despite the early noughties placing national identity under intense debate, the images were never intended as a comment on Britain or on “Britishness”, but to simply document the world, without social or geographical hierarchy. In conversation, Hawkesworth discussed the changing role of the photographer, the ethics of documentary, and how to create images without an agenda whilst establishing an individual style.

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15 Minutes with
Aesthetica Art Prize Finalists
18:30-18:45

We hosted 15 minutes with the finalists from the 2022 Aesthetica Art Prize. In these short, 5-minute talks, we invited three finalists to discuss their work, ahead of the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition opening at York Art Gallery on 24 June 2022. The Prize is a platform for the world’s best artists. The £10,000 award celebrates contemporary art in all its forms, offering opportunities for publication and exhibition at a major public gallery. Since 2007, we have worked with thousands of artists. Our alumni have achieved further exhibitions at Tate Modern, The Photographers’ Gallery, MoMA PS1, Foam Amsterdam, V&A, Barbican, Guggenheim Museum, Saatchi Gallery, Centre Pompidou and more, as well as prestigious global awards such as the Jarman Award and Foam Talent.

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Film Screening
Sarah Maple
19:00-20:00

Sarah Maple is known for her bold, witty, and occasionally controversial practice. She works in a wide variety of media (including painting, photography, sculpture, collage, and video) that challenge notions of identity, religion, feminism, freedom of expression and the status quo. Humour is a key element to her work, which she often employs alongside her guerrilla-style performances, as a vehicle for the narrative. Her recent practice has focused on the complex relationship artists have with the art world. Maple’s Nazi Sexy Shark Show is a semi-autobiographical ‘art-com’ piece, which presents a heightened reality that draws influence from Curb Your Enthusiasm as well as seminal artists such as Cindy Sherman. This 60-minute video piece is a finalist in the Aesthetica Art Prize 2022.

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Welcome Address
Cherie Federico
09:30-09:45

Opening Day Two of the Symposium, Cherie Federico, Founder, Director and Editor of Aesthetica, discussed some of the day’s key topics, from demystifying the world of NFTs and expanding on the funding opportunities available post-pandemic, to the rise of experiential design and exploring shifting visual languages through photography.  We were also joined by The Barbican for a talk on the relationship between the climate crisis and art: can it really help?  Cherie outlined the sessions for the day, including the complementary refreshments and evening drinks reception, whilst introducing some of the finalists of the Aesthetica Art Prize 2022, who joined us after the sessions to discuss their work, ahead of the Art Prize Exhibition opening at York Art Gallery on 24 June 2022. 

Create Your Own Platform: NFTs and the
Future of Blockchain | Robert Norton, Verisart
10:00-11:00

Over the last couple of years, NFT exhibitions have sky-rocketed. Avatars are now set to sell for millions at Christie’s, with the most expensive NFT artwork valued at over 90 million dollars, just under a quarter of the price of a Leonardo Da Vinci. In 2021, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square, sold his first tweet for over $2.9 million. But what are these non-fungible platforms, and how can they be used by emerging artists to set their own price point, reach collectors and create a digital income? Robert Norton is the CEO and co-founder of Verisart, an award-winning and patented NFT minting and certification platform helping artists do business. He joined us at Future Now to discuss the business of blockchain. Norton has worked at the intersection of art and technology since 2009. 

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How to Fund Your Practice:
A Practical Guide
11:15-12:15

The global pandemic has led to a severe recession. Interest rates have risen from 0.1% to 0.25%, and the annual consumer price inflation has risen to 5.5% in the last 12 months. But what does this mean for funding bodies and their planned grant schemes? What opportunities are there for artists in 2022 and beyond? How can you transform your practice and continue to make work in the ‘new normal’ – work that is financially viable, environmentally sustainable and creatively innovative? What are the current priorities for funding bodies, arts organisations, galleries and museums? A panel of experts from Jerwood, New Contemporaries, Arts Council England and the British Council spoke about furthering your career post-pandemic, the opportunities that were currently available.

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What is Experiential Art?
Jason Bruges Studio
13:45-14:45

“Experiential Art” is increasingly appearing in public spaces. From architectural-scale interventions to dynamic installations, these artworks offer new modes of storytelling across wide-ranging settings such as hotels, universities, hospitals, parks and museums. Jason Bruges Studio has become a pioneer in this field paving the way for a new genre. Through robotics, generative algorithms and spatial recognition, the Studio explores time-based pieces and luminous environments that alter our perception of contemporary landscapes. Bruges joined us to discuss his momentous practice and the value in expanding the world of interactivity to re-connect us to ourselves, and to our environments, whilst sharing the development behind Variegation Index, shortlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize 2022.

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Can Art Really Help? Empathy and the
Climate Crisis | The Barbican
15:00-16:00

It is generally accepted that we are living in a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene. We are rapidly heading towards shifting degrees of warming, each with their own devastating effects at each threshold. But can art truly help? Beyond instilling empathy in the viewer, how effective is art in spreading the message beyond the gallery floor? Our Time on Earth, on show at Barbican, London 5 May – 29 August, harnesses the power of global creativity, presenting radical visions and possibilities for the future of all species. Curator Luke Kemp discussed the key tenets of the exhibition, examining the ways in which interactive experience and immersive installations can not only connect us to the natural world, but give audiences the feeling of empowerment to make positive, tangible change. 

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Interrogating Expanded Realities
Baff Akoto
16:15-17:15

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Constructing the Moment:
A Masterclass in Photography | Hannah Starkey
17:30-18:30

Since the late-1990s, Hannah Starkey has been dedicated to photographing women, exploring the ways they are, and have been depicted, taking cues from visual culture. Known for her cinematic mise-en-scenes, which appear as spontaneous or “fleeting” moments, Starkey constructs portraits of women across a range of generations, often situated in everyday urban contexts. Here, Starkey explored shifting visual languages, and the rise of photography as the world’s most influential medium. She discussed how images have become connected to women’s experiences across the globe, through both personal and political spheres, and the role the camera can play in capturing psychological truths. Starkey expanded on photography as a medium of spontaneity and serendipity.

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15 Minutes with
Aesthetica Art Prize Finalists
18:30-18:45

We hosted 15 minutes with the finalists from the 2022 Aesthetica Art Prize. In these short, 5-minute talks, we invited three finalists to discuss their work, ahead of the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition opening at York Art Gallery on 24 June 2022. The Prize is a platform for the world’s best artists. The £10,000 award celebrates contemporary art in all its forms, offering opportunities for publication and exhibition at a major public gallery. Since 2007, we have worked with thousands of artists. Our alumni have achieved further exhibitions at Tate Modern, The Photographers’ Gallery, MoMA PS1, Foam Amsterdam, V&A, Barbican, Guggenheim Museum, Saatchi Gallery, Centre Pompidou and more, as well as prestigious global awards such as the Jarman Award and Foam Talent.

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Drinks Reception
Meet, Discuss, Connect
19:00-20:00

We celebrated connections and inspirational ideas at the Aesthetica Future Now Symposium 2022 closing event. This drinks reception, which took place at York Theatre Royal, was a fantastic opportunity to unwind after a busy day of sessions, portfolio reviews and networking. It was a place to catch up with participants and delegates alike, make new connections and discuss key themes from the sessions you attended. It was a place to immerse yourself in conversations about art, and a great way to finish off your symposium experience. It was a destination for meeting likeminded individuals over a free drink, served on a first come, first served basis. All attendees were welcome, including delegates and the Aesthetica team. We enjoyed seeing you there to round off the event!

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