In October the ‘Sensing Loss’ cohort from North Kent came to the water retention basin of Floating University to meet the Berlin cohort for several days of workshops and collective practices, exploring how to mourn, tend to one another and sense ecological loss together. Through writing, drawing, listening, somatic practices, rituals, cooking and reading, we explored what is being lost and what might emerge when we stay with grief.
Together with Cait Fisher and Kim Sanou from Organizing Otherwise, we slowed down and practised ‘Being With’ allowing ourselves to be guided into a grief-tending ritual. With Jane Pitt, we listened closely to the sounds and voiced the resonances of the rainwater basin. Jöran Mandik and Kilian Flade invited us to consider how ecological loss is entangled, and how it might be commemorated, as we braided reeds, folded and twisted cords.
Goitseone Montsho led us into the world of ruderal plants, ancestral stories of lost climates and whispers to our more-than-human friends, siblings and teachers. Working with coal and soil, we practised accepting what is gone and welcoming what is yet to come.
With Eliza Chojnacka, we drew and imagined landscapes of loss, change and possibility of folding over. Adam Moore counted to twenty, and we played hide-and-seek, while Gargi Bhattacharyya’s words, “We, the heartbroken,” resonated with us in silly, surprising ways of mourning.
We will continue to meet over the coming weeks in Isle of Sheppey on the Elmley National Nature Reserve in North Kent and around the sinking lake of Helenesee, near Frankfurt (Oder) in Germany while we continue sensing environmental degradation in the face of sweeping changes.
To stay informed on the project or more questions, write to us at sensingloss@floating-
Find out more about the Sensing Loss Tier Two partnership between Cement Fields (Chatham, England), Three Rivers (Bexley, England) and Floating University Berlin (Berlin, Germany) here.
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Hosted and organised by Serena Abbondanza, Eliza Chojnacka, Jöran Mandik and Hannah Lu Verse
Guidance and concept between the seas by Chiara Famengo (Three Rivers) and Sam Taylor (Cement Fields)
With incredible contributions, participation and reflections from Leo Tsao, Goitseone Montsho, Abraham Tettey, Yasmeen Al-Qaisi, Fabian Faylona, Grace Emily Manning, Emmaline Higgs, Jane Pitt, Alice Burnhope and Adam Moore.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making these days possible, and to everyone who brought their thoughts, questions, care and curiosity into the gathering.
Foto Documentation by Sebastian Díaz de León & Adam Moore
Sound documentation by Amelia Sharp
Images used in this post are © Sebastian Díaz de León
