Pushing the envelope*
In February, I'm pushing the envelope. As part of Think Together Sheffield, I'm taking a lead on producing a new event - a museum Late at the Millennium Gallery.
Join us at the Millennium Gallery for a new, thought-provoking, after-hours event with a difference. Explore the galleries with a fresh perspective and try out some new ideas in conversation with others. This is philosophy for everyone – no experience required.
Enjoy a variety of interactive thinking activities that will get your thoughts flying in all directions. This stimulating new event will feature an array of fun and friendly hands-on activities and a range of philosophical enquiry discussions, all alongside a pay bar.
Enquire into themes such as creativity, freedom and happiness in the light of the art and design exhibitions.
We’ll get you thinking and talking to delve into ideas deeply.
We're able to offer this as a free event thanks to generous funding from the Society for the Furtherance of Critical Philosophy in memory of their colleague, Pat Shipley, who came from Sheffield. Among many other things, Pat was a trained pilot - hence our theme for the event. As of yesterday, 282 people had ordered a ticket. It's very exciting and somewhat nerve-wracking and I'm very glad to be working with colleagues on this one.
Where can we fit a circle of chairs?
We've had a lot of practical rather than philosophical questions in our recent discussions! Reviewing my recent photos of galleries, I discovered many of them feature the spaces inbetween rather than focussing on the artworks.
The Late event builds on my monthly Sharing the View: Philosophy in the Gallery sessions in the Graves Gallery. At each one we look at a different artwork and use the Philosophy for Communities method to enquire into what meaning we find through the experience of looking at art together.
January's was a monchrome painting but still a vibrant discussion.
Horizontal Vibration by Bridget Riley (and a vent!)
*"To push the envelope means to surpass normal limits or attempt something viewed as radical or risky. It comes from the aeronautical use of envelope referring to performance limits that cannot be exceeded safely." Merriam-Brewster online dictionary
Didn't previously know that this was also flight related terminology - very fitting.