The Five Rings: Wind
In the fourth symposium of the thematic series The Five Rings, Aboagora approached wind and air both literally and metaphorically.
The talks and performances examined air as a basic element of life and ecology, but also addressed the complex ties between nature, technology and human experience. The symposium brought together the humanities, natural sciences, psychology, photography and visual and performance arts to address various winds around us and within us – ecological and societal, material and metaphorical – and their interconnections.
Air
Air is the fundamental element for life and breathing, but it is also a source of pleasure and joy. It has been a playground for artists experimenting with lightness and transparency from acrobatics to visual arts. With climate change, air and temperature have become key questions of survival. Pure air has become almost a luxury commodity as pollution and urbanization have led to a situation where urban air is increasingly manufactured, and clean air is not available for everyone. Yet air is not a stable element: it is constantly changing and flowing, and thus it also carries the possibility for change.
After the previous three-year thematic cycle The Threads of Fate, in 2019 Aboagora launched a new five-year thematic plan for 2019–2023 under the title The Five Rings.
The title refers to the book The Book of Five Rings, written in 1645, by Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵, c. 1584–June 13, 1645). He was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, writer and rōnin – a samurai without a master. Musashi became renowned through stories of his masterful double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 61 duels. Many consider him the greatest swordsman that ever lived. Near the end of his life, Musashi retreated to live as a hermit in a cave, to meditate and write a manual of kenjutsu, Japanese swordmanship, and martial arts. This practical book extends towards a philosophy of life, aiming at simplicity and no-nonsense. Throughout the years, it has also been read by people rethinking ways to lead or do business. The Book of Five Rings (五輪書, Go Rin no Sho) is divided into five books, each examining a different element of battle, just as there are different physical elements in life in Eastern religions. The five Aboagora symposia in 2019-2023 delved into these elements: earth, water, fire, wind and void.
Agora lectures from Aboagora 2022 are available on ABOAGORA’s YouTube channel:
Andrew Coates
Professor of Physics, University College London, UK
Winds in Our Solar System
Joan Sullivan
photographer, writer and artivist, Canada
Hanna Johansson
Professor of Contemporary Art Research and Dean of the Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland