Tertulia: Camberwell Lunch Salon Hosted by Nele Bergmans
October 5 | Camberwell College of Arts, Room C132
"Tertulia" is a Spanish word used for informal gatherings on the discussion of art and current affairs. Along these lines, Nele Bergmans hosted eight short lectures by Camberwell artists this October 2023.
The basic structure of each tertulia was a 15 minute talk followed by a 5 minute discussion with the audience. People brought their lunch and met students across pathways. I felt that the talks were a particularly exciting opportunity for the first year masters students and undergraduates, giving them examples of what postgraduate research can look like.
My talk, titled "Environmental Response" was situated with key terms, artists, and method:
TERMS:
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Provision: an amount or thing supplied or provided.
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Provisional: arranged or existing for the present, possibly to be changed later.
ARTISTS:
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Giuseppe Penone (1947-present)
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Ana Mendieta (1948-1985)
TECHNIQUE/TOOL:
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The Garden
The lecture began with an introduction to Mendieta and Penone‘s work, particularly the influences behind and intentionality towards their material choices. Their focus on the land and their responsiveness to political force mirror my own material interest in using the garden as both material reservoir and 'studio.' I end with political theory regarding the garden, especially in the writing of Jamaica Kincaid, and how my own garden practice operates as political practice.
The talk served as a great platform for organizing a few of the relevant contexts that inform my practice. More specifically, my lecture was a great way to practice a section of my upcoming Research Festival lecture. In addition to getting comfortable with speaking to an audience, I gained some confidence in my ability to field questions and engage my audience in discussion.
Slides from "Environmental Response" Tertulia lecture
"Environmental Response" lecture at Camberwell College of Arts, Room C132