The Species of Origin
Evolving a Contemporary Darwin Arts Project for 2009

This project presents a new opportunity for interdisciplinary speculation around arts, natural science, philosophy and ethics, through workshops, reading groups, and the creation of a creative resource. How can the abundant themes in Darwin’s The Origin of Species generate original contemporary insights and feed into artistic practice? 

2009 marks the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the first publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Darwin’s controversial and contested theory of evolution remains a landmark of western intellectual endeavour. Evolutionist thinking has permeated many disciplines from the natural & social sciences, and philosophy. Although the context of controversy has changed within evolutionary thinking, scientists, theologians, theorists and cultural practitioners still actively engage with Darwinism, whether in the spirit of opposition, modification or refinement.

This project asserts the potential for contemporary art practice to re-imagine Darwin’s work within a current context, to draw out, in particular, some of the most significant ideas embedded in his thought and of others. 

In the first instance, of particular concern will be how the work and historical figures of Darwin, his journeys, methods and writings might inform contemporary creativity. in this context we will explore how Darwin’s theory of evolution built on and differs from competing theories at the time and how subsequent theories have battled with Darwin and various forms of ‘Darwinism’. 

The philosophical aspect will concern itself with both questions of epistemology and ethics . We will look at questions of ‘process’, ‘origin’, ‘evolution’, ‘mutation’, ’boundary-maintenance’ and ‘extinction’. In terms of Ethics, we will look at how the distinction between humanity and animality is drawn and deployed and consequently also how  hierarchies between human and non-human animals is defended, species and culture-related issues around animality.

Finally, but crucially, the artistic aspects will explore the ways that the above might inspire contemporary artists working in different media, and allow them, and others, to re-imagine Darwinian themes through new creative work.

Principal Investigator: Dr Andrew Patrizio (Reader)
Research Office
Edinburgh College of Art
Evolution House, West Port
Edinburgh EH1 2LE
a.patrizio@eca.ac.uk

Co-Investigator: Prof Emilios Christodoulidis (Professor of Legal Theory)
School of Law
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QQ
e.christodoulidis@law.gla.ac.uk

Research Associate: Dr Sara Barnes
Research Zone
Edinburgh College of Art
Lauriston Place
Edinburgh EH3 9DF
s.barnes@eca.ac.uk

Project Partners: Natural History Museum, London

Dr Bob Bloomfield (Head of Innovation and Special Projects)

Bergit Arends (Art Curator).

For further information visit: www.speciesoforigin.org