THE OPEN CALL FOR OUR UPCOMING ANXIETY SEASON IS LIVE! - NOW CLOSED
We may have just announced the details of the first season in our new home, but we're already on the look out for artworks and events for our 4th season in the new Gallery!
In 2019 Science Gallery London will explore notions of anxiety in contemporary society - what causes anxiety, and how does it affect us?
What is the emotional role of anxiety in society? What role does genetics play in making you more prone to anxiety than others? What are the anxiety-provoking issues in contemporary society? What are the influences of social factors, economics, class, and ethnicity on anxiety? How is anxiety used as a political tool? Does performance anxiety fuel creative drive?
This season will explore the phenomenon of anxiety in 21st century life, and what the future of anxiety and mental health looks like, and we want your ideas that will explore the above questions. We are open to all art forms and approaches.
Anxiety is characterised as experiencing fear of an anticipated or non-tangible threat. It can manifest as a feeling of unease, which can be accompanied by physical discomfort such as muscular tension, restlessness, or dizziness. Feeling anxious can be an appropriate emotional response, but if a feeling of anxiety is continuous or experienced regularly it can signal a mental health problem.
Anxiety felt before and during significant moments– an exam, a speech, a performance, or a sports competition – provides us with adrenalin, enhancing our ability to perform. Conversely, philosopher Søren Kierkegaard famously said that “anxiety is the dizziness of freedom” - one can feel anxious due to an overwhelming amount of possibilities in decision-making. Reflecting on an uncertain future and a seemingly constant crisis in contemporary politics can also provoke feelings of anxiety.
To submit your ideas and for further infomation on the open call, go to: https://opencall.sciencegallery.com/anxiety
The Anxiety season will be curated by Mette Kjærgaard Præst. The curatorial advisers for the season will include:
Thalia Eley, Professor of Developmental Behavioural Genetics, King’s College London
Errol Francis, Chief Executive, Culture&
Colette Hirsch, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, King’s College London
August 1, 2018