Creative Conversations 5 May 4PM GMT in partnership with Bath Spa University

This talk introduces David Graeber’s concept of poetic vs. bureaucratic technologies through the lens of spatial organization. I will examine the “architecture of loneliness” – a spatial regime that structurally produces segregation regardless of geography or political system. This is a practical talk. I will propose concrete counter-strategies: how direct action can be embedded in everyday spaces, how infrastructure can be self-made, and how communities might design tools to create their own forms of shared life.

Nika Dubrovsky is an artist and author who writes children’s books for adults and adult books for children. She has participated in museum exhibitions and international biennials, but prefers Carnivals and Visual Assemblies. She is the founder of the David Graeber Institute and the editor of the books of David Graeber, who was a writer, an activist and anthropologist, author of Debt: The First 5,000 Years and other works that have had a significant impact on contemporary political and economic debates. Nika’s latest book, Cities Made Differently (co-authored with David Graeber), was published by MIT Press in 2024 and has been translated into multiple languages. Her articles have appeared in publications such as ArtReview, artnet, e-flux, and others.

Lisa Novak is an Assistant Professor of Art Education at The University of Texas at El Paso. Among her research interests are youth-led pedagogies and emergent arts programming, as well as the history of art education in community spaces and social movements of the 20th century. As the founder of the School of Collaboration and Invention youth arts program (socai.org), Lisa has facilitated workshops and programs with art and educational institutions across Canada and the United States.

Event Details

A teams link will be sent with your confirmation of booking.
Starts at 4:00PM