Symposium on atmospheres brought researchers and artists together
On December 13, 2024, the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies (CCHS) and Jonsered Manor at the University of Gothenburg organized the interdisciplinary symposium “Atmos & Sparia: Atmospheres in Theory and Artistic Practice”.
What happens when theorists meet artistic practitioners who are experts in creating atmospheres?
“The starting point was that humans are multi-sensory beings who both live in and create atmospheres – an inevitable part of our existence,” says Astrid von Rosen, director of the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies and one of the organizers of the symposium.
“As bodies in space, we experience atmospheres everywhere – from leaving the warm streets of Rome and stepping into a cool church, to how lighting effects on the theatre stage shape the audience’s experience,” says Astrid von Rosen.
The symposium explored the concept of atmosphere and how it is concretized within artistic practices and aesthetic work. The discussion revolved around questions such as: How can atmosphere theory contribute to research and society? What forces and challenges does the role of atmosphere in our society raise? How do we create the atmospheres that are crucial for our social coexistence, and how do we deal with atmospheres that threaten democracy?
Keynote speakers were Rachel Hann, Associate Professor of Performance and Design, Northumbria University, UK, scenographer and chair of the Theatre and Performance Research Association, TaPRA, Ola Sigurdson, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Oslo, NO, and Astrid von Rosen, Professor of Art History and Director of the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies. Invited speakers also included Lydia Sandgren, author and editorial member of the journal Arche, Åsa Lieberath and Martin Eriksson, both scenographers. The symposium was moderated by Lena Ulrika Rudeke, Operations and Programme Manager at Jonsered Manor and one of the initiators of the symposium.
“It was a valuable meeting and a lively, open discussion between researchers from different disciplines and artistic practitioners in scenography, dance, theatre, art, music, and design. They generously and curiously shared knowledge, experiences and thoughts with each other in a collective knowledge-building process,” concludes Lena Ulrika Rudeke.
What is the outcome of the symposium?
“It was very rewarding to collaborate with Jonsered Manor and Lena Ulrika Rudeke, who is also a new member of the CCHS Advisory Board. The symposium ties our activities even closer together. It also provided sharp theoretical and practical insights that will benefit both CCHS and the University of Gothenburg's collaboration and research initiatives. Scenography is an art form that is constantly present in the performing arts, in film and television, and in our everyday lives.What is needed is constructive and critically scrutinizing research in this field. In 2025, we will continue the development of cutting-edge artistic and scientific initiatives with several different partners,” says Astrid von Rosen.
– Jonsered Manor looks forward to continued and deepened collaboration with CCHS. The symposium we organized together is also part of the Jonsered Manor's ongoing focus on spatiality and place, which we are now intensifying with CCHS and researchers from, for example, the Faculty of Fine Arts. We need to develop our working methods scientifically and artistically, like the bodies in space and context that we humans are. More can be done here, including in the programme activities that Jonsered Manor conducts according to the Vice-Chancellor’s assignment, says Lena Ulrika Rudeke.
