Isabel Lewis
ABOUT THE WORK
In this Art Night co-commission with ATLAS Arts in Skye, Lewis poses the question, “What can we learn about love from lichen?” as a point of departure. Building on research and conversations with locally based collaborators, Isabel has choreographed a series of guided walks across Skye — at Achnacloich, Scorrybreac, and Coille Ìosal, Braes. Led by the local agents — a wild forager, a composer, and a lichen expert, the walks weave a circuitous narrative about interspecies bonds and the potential for ecological attunement, brought together in a hosted occasion at Braes Hall on Saturday 19th June.
With sound, song, touch and taste “What can we learn about love from lichen?” tunes into more sensuous forms of knowing the landscape and the society between species — through taste, smell, song, sound — and thinking with lichen.
All events are ticketed, book your ticket via ATLAS Arts.
Please note, spaces are very limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.
In addition to the work in Skye and in partnership with Compton Verney, Lewis will draw on the choreographic scores developed in Skye to stage a new sound work at Compton Verney, in Warwickshire. This will run for the duration of Art Night – 18th June to 18th July.
Compton Verney is opening its grounds free to Art Night visitors. These free tickets need to be booked in advance here. Entry to the house, which includes the Women’s Library where part of Isabel’s commission is located, requires purchasing a day ticket, also via the Compton Verney website.
Sound work from “What can we learn about love from lichen?” will be broadcast for 48 hours as part of our online programme, via the homepage on our website. When to listen: 8pm June 22nd – 8pm June 24th. All online commissions will be broadcast again as part of our marathon screening at 8pm, Thursday 15th July.
Isabel Lewis’ 2021 Art Night project is curated by Helen Nisbet, Artistic Director of Art Night as a co-commission with ATLAS Arts, with support from Goethe-Institut. What can we learn about love from lichen? was produced in collaboration with local agents Lucy Cooke, Richy Carey, Nick Hodgetts and Producer Shona Cameron. Made in partnership with Compton Verney, with support from Goethe-Institut and Callie’s, Berlin.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Isabel Lewis (b.1981, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) lives and works in Berlin. Trained in literary criticism, dance, and philosophy, Isabel Lewis’ work takes on many different formats: from lecture-performances and workshops to listening sessions, parties (Bodysnatch), gardens, and what she calls “hosted occasions.” Her live art works have been presented contexts of contemporary art, music, dance, and theater by Kunsthalle Zürich (2020), Sharjah Biennial (2019), Roskilde Festival (2019), Berliner Festspiele-Gropius Bau (2018), Tate Modern (2017), Steirischer Herbst (2017), Ming Contemporary Art Museum Shanghai (2016), and Tanz Im August (2015) among others.
