WP8
Ecological Thought in Media Arts
Research Line 3 · Art, AI and Material Futures
Lead researcher:
Cristina Sá
Research units: CITAR ∙ CBQF
Overview
WP8 explores how contemporary artistic practices can contribute to thinking, interpreting, and experiencing the climate crisis.
Through research and creation in the fields of cinema, sound art, and new media art, the work investigates the relationships between ecology, technology, sensory experience, and collective participation, linking artistic practices with ecological thinking and interdisciplinary research.
Contemporary art and the climate crisis
One of the main scope of WP8 is the mapping and study of artworks that address climate change, ecology, and more-than-human relationships.
The project examines different contemporary artistic approaches – from soundscapes and experimental cinema to digital installations and immersive practices – seeking to understand how art can contribute to new interpretations of the environmental crisis.
This research considers not only themes and narratives but also creative processes, materials used, and the ecological impact of artistic technologies and practices.
Artistic creation and interdisciplinary research
O WP8 integra residências artísticas, investigação teórica e práticas experimentais que aproximam arte, ciência e tecnologia.
Os processos de criação desenvolvidos no âmbito do projeto dialogam com dados ambientais, e sistemas de inteligência artificial desenvolvidos no projeto, bem como com biomateriais e outras soluções exploradas noutras linhas de investigação.
Ao cruzar práticas artísticas com investigação em ambiente, alimentação e tecnologia, o trabalho procura expandir formas de colaboração interdisciplinar e experimentação contemporânea.
Communities, participation and social transformation
Another central component of WP8 is the engagement of local communities through collaborative artistic practices.
Workshops, participatory interventions, and public activities aim to stimulate collective reflection on climate change, sustainability, and ecological relationships, exploring the transformative potential of artistic creation in social and community contexts.
The project also investigates how sensory, immersive, and participatory experiences can contribute to new forms of environmental awareness and public engagement.
Main objectives
