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Cutting-Edge Arts Programs at the 2011 Bioneers Conference

Cutting-Edge Arts Programs at the 2011 Bioneers Conference

Published 09-12-11

Submitted by Bioneers

The 2011 Bioneers conference will bring alive how the arts are playing a crucial role in anticipating and helping birth profound cultural transformation and political change. Remarkably visionary, innovative artists are helping change the story using traditional media such as print, painting, murals, film, music and theater, as well as novel media such as cyberspace, virtual gaming, mixed-media performance and “eco-art.”

Among arts-related highlights at the 2011 Bioneers conference, Yale professor and founder of the Forum on Religion and Ecology Mary Evelyn Tucker presents her new film and book, Journey of the Universe, produced with cosmologist Brian Swimme. They illuminate the epic story of the universe, weaving the findings of modern science with enduring wisdom traditions from the West, China, India and indigenous peoples to create a renewed vision inclusive of diverse peoples, faiths and belief systems.

Visionary media innovators Josh Fouts and Rita King offer a digital tour of “The Imagination Age,” displaying dazzling web-based media innovations such as “Understanding Islam” using virtual avatars on Second Life that could presage a hopeful new global culture and economy. Josh and Rita illuminate how extraordinary new tools, virtual worlds, games and the worldwide web can leverage global cultural empowerment, intercultural dialogue and educational reform, amplified by creativity, collaboration, art and music.

Participatory public art shows how art can bring about community healing and transformation with world-renowned muralist Judy Baca, founder of the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), who “tattooed the L.A. River with at-risk youth," and mosaic artist Lily Yeh, founder of Barefoot Artists, who works in impoverished communities throughout the world to foster community empowerment, documented in Terry Tempest Williams’ book “Finding Beauty in a Broken World.”

Five diverse artists explore “Culture as the Crucible of Change” in an emergent conversation, with Arlene Goldbard, activist and author of New Creative Community; Joe Lambert, founder of the Center for Digital storytelling; Rene Yung, a civic engagement artist who helps communities connect people, history and place; Ellen Sebastian Chang, director, writer, performer, cofounder and Artistic Director of Life On The Water; Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation.

Eco-mythology is the creatively rich terrain for Luisah Teish, acclaimed ritual design consultant, writer, performance artist and author of books on spirituality, culture and ecology. She deconstructs the dominant mythologies that have informed our relationship to the natural world and offers alternatives drawn from indigenous cultures that emphasize our interdependence with the land and each other. This interactive session use art as a tool for self-healing and cultural healing.

The unique Indigenous Forum presents numerous Native artists and cultural figures, including Grammy Award-winning musician Carlos Nakai.

The Bioneers Moving Image Festival presents a provocative suite of films with most of the filmmakers in attendance for active dialogue and networking. Also, as a pre-conference film event, Tuesday October 11th at 6:15pn at the Roxie Theatre in San Francisco, we will be screening the Sundance hit !Women Art Revolution featuring conference presenter Judy Baca. The director Lynn Hershman Leeson will be in attendance.

Click here to view the complete program for the 2011 Bioneers conference. You can also view the conference program according to specific topic areas.

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Bioneers

Bioneers

Bioneers is inspiring a shift to live on Earth in ways that honor the web of life, each other and future generations. Founded in 1990, Bioneers promotes practical environmental solutions and innovative social strategies for restoring Earth's imperiled ecosystems and healing our human communities.

We move our mission into action through the following programs: the acclaimed annual Bioneers Conference, in its 22nd year in 2011; Beaming Bioneers, a companion program of community-based satellite conferences across the US; the Bioneers Youth Program; the award-winning national and international radio series, Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature; film festival and third party documentaries; our website; the Bioneers anthology book series; and 6 year round programs; 1. Public Education and Media Outreach, 2. Education for Action, 3. Localization, 4. Bioneers Global , 5. Moonrise – Women's Leadership and Restoring the Feminine, 6. Becoming Native to Place – Indigeneity. In addition, Bioneers acts as a key source for journalists.

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