Academics from the University have helped to curate an all-day series of events at Turner Contemporary in Margate focusing on our relationships with animals, particularly those deemed strays or pests.
The event, entitled PEST, runs from 11.00 – 17.00 on Sunday 16 September. Curator and researcher Rose Thompson from the School of Arts at the University has co-organised the event in collaboration with Gareth Evans, film curator at the Whitechapel Gallery, and members of the Kent Animal Humanities Network.
The day will see several interactive events take place that the public can take part in. Most notably School of Arts PhD student Adam James is hosting two interactive workshops where members of the public can take part in live-action role plays as monkeys to learn about how a troop behaves and the similarities to humans.
There will also be a performance by artist Bronwen Buckeridge at 1.00 that will imagine a live phone call with a raven, which will feature input from students at Kent, while sound artist Robbie Judkins will create a soundscape using an animal scarer.
Dr Kaori Nagai from the School of English is also involved in the event by hosting guided tours of the Animals & Us exhibition currently on display at Turner Contemporary.
Animals & Us at Turner Contemporary is a major exhibition exploring artists’ reflections on the relationship between humans and other animals. Admission to the exhibition is free of charge.
The Kent Animal Humanities Network is made up of academics from the School of Art, School of English and School of History and is designed to foster collaboration and the exchange of ideas among animal studies scholars.
Curator Rose Thompson said: ‘The work of the Kent Animal Humanities Network in helping set up the PEST event at Turner Contemporary demonstrates the strength of interdisciplinary research at Kent and how this can be used to create events that engage with the public.’
All the activities are free but some require booking. More information can be found on Turner Contemporary website.