Exhibition

Shezad Dawood’s epic film series Leviathan comes to the gallery, alongside a number of textiles and neon works. Taking inspiration from both Thomas Hobbes’ book Leviathan and the biblical sea monster of the same name, Dawood’s Leviathan follows the migratory patterns of people between Europe and Africa, who are often making the crossing as refugees. The film explores the connection between mass migration and marine conservation, in particular how the  turbulent journeys made by human migrants mirror the tumultuous ecological changes in the sea over which they travel.

This timely exhibition combines the themes of marine biology, climate change, political systems and mental health, to show how human activity and marine ecologies are intertwined. The exhibition also features a new interactive virtual reality work which explores what the future may hold for marine biology, in a world heavily affected by climate change.

Dawood intends Leviathan to eventually consist of ten film ‘chapters’, and Bluecoat will exhibit the first five chapters in the series, making it the most complete UK presentation ofthe work to date. The presentation will also include the UK premiere of chapters four and five. The first two chapters of Leviathan premiered at Venice in conjunction with the 57th Art Biennale. The work has developed, been adapted and grown across exhibitions and screenings in Wales, Netherlands and Italy before reaching Bluecoat for this major exhibition charting Dawood’s ambitious project. The series is slated for completion in 2020.

Public Programme

To accompany Shezad Dawood’s Leviathan exhibition at Bluecoat we’re hosting two symposia on the themes of ‘Empathy In and Out of Species’ and ‘Methods for Surviving the Future’,  which featured a series of discussions between scientists and academics to present their work in response to the core themes of the exhibition.

Symposium: Empathy In & Out of Species

25 September 2019

Professor Alex Balch (University of Liverpool), PhD student Samantha Hook (University of Manchester) and Jennifer Verson (Director of Migrant Artists Mutual Aid), will explore empathy in connection with human migration and our relationship with marine species. A discussion moderated by Inês Geraldes Cardoso will follow participants’ presentations.

moral bargains: slavery, hospitality &
immigration today

A talk by Professor Alex Balch

In this presentation Alex Balch will ask why and with what effects the moral/rhetorical power of anti-slavery has moved to the centre of political debates over immigration. It will draw on evidence from the UK and US to argue that a new ‘grand bargain’ over immigration in liberal democracies can be traced to older ideas about slavery and hospitality.

Click here to watch the individual presentation.

more than jaws: empathy & shark extinction

A talk by Samantha Hook

Charting the journey of sharks and rays through time and across geographies, Samantha Hook introduces us to this group’s fantastic resilience despite multiple threats of mass extinction, and addresses its contemporary struggles for survival in the face of severe overfishing, climate changes and the chronic lack of human empathy toward the apex predator of the sea.

Click here to watch the individual presentation.

migration songs: memory, proximity and micro political engagement

A talk by Jennifer Verson

In her talk, Jennifer Verson will draw on the artistic and political work of Migrant Artists Mutual Aid (MaMa) to explore new models for peacebuilding and social repair. Weaving together Memory Studies, Peacebuilding and Performance, she will share some of MaMa’s new work interpreting the archives and exhibits from the International Slavery Museum into new music.

 
Click here to watch the individual presentation.

Symposium: Methods for Surviving the Future

2 October 2019

Professor Lars Schmeink (HafenCity University Hamburg) and Nicole Prandi (PhD candidate at Manchester University) explore how we might adapt to the future, discussing possible life-saving algae, inclusive activism, and changing notions about what it means to be human. A discussion moderated by Inês Geraldes Cardoso will follow participants’ presentations.

blue-green: life-saving algae on the blue planet

A talk by Nicole Prandi

For over 1 billion years cyanobacteria has helped shape the Earth’s atmosphere and life as we know them. Now the algae may be able to help us survive climate change. From carbon neutral biofuels to bioplastic and living buildings, Nicole Prandi will chart the unexpected applications of photosynthetic bacteria for surviving now and in the future on our Blue Planet.

 
Click here to watch the individual presentation.

biopunk: survival in the anthropocene

A talk by Professor Lars Schmeink

Biopunk is a science fictional mode which explores the societal effects of biotechnology and genetic engineering – a cultural expression all the more relevant, given the radical changes transforming our world. Climate change and the depletion of natural resources will push human existence to the brink in the foreseeable future, and biotechnology promises to be one possible way out by gesturing towards a posthuman existence. This talk by Lars Schmeink explores these posthuman modes of survival and why that might not include the human after all.

Click here to watch the individual presentation.