Define + Relate

When an industry finds a new word that captures its ambition – innovation, sustainability, regeneration – a process of semantic numbing begins. Through the force of repetition, the word starts to fossilise and the meaning becomes wrapped in a shell of noise and ambiguity. The word buzzes. It doesn’t always speak.

Power, too, becomes determined by the life of these words. Might a ‘regenerative innovator’ receive more funding and status than a farmer who stewards his plot with respect and inherited knowledge? Would solidarity between sectors and communities be possible without a powerful, unifying term? Labels affect power in positive and negative ways.

Creativity allows us to remain playful and engaged with ideas like regeneration. It helps a buzzword become something specific, local, tangible. When regeneration meets art, we find narratives that link the idea to justice. We find the resonant wilds of the irrational. We find satire and laments.

In seeking our own, personal definitions of regeneration, our experiences, worlds and desires meet to generate further experiences, worlds and desires, while shaping others in so doing. It is a profoundly human impulse. We can all attest to the practitioner, the writer, the family member whose creative weaving of understanding has opened
up new cycles of hope. As Ravi Naidoo, founder of Design Indaba says, “Creativity is the ultimate renewable energy.”

When we trawl the archive of the Voices of Regeneration project, there are many definitions of regeneration. Together, the term is defined in a way that can hold exploitative histories and ecological crises on one hand, and just futures with and in nature on the other.

Through this work, nature becomes much more than a muse. Nature is partner. Nature is ally. We, nature, are sage and storyteller. In opening the way for nature’s agency in the creative process, the alienation and false dichotomies of modernity start to fade. Let’s seek bold definitions of regeneration and brave coalitions of human and more-than-human actors.

The following extract of In Between Two Worlds: Embracing Regeneration by Myra Colis offers an Indigenous perspective on regeneration, revealing how interlinked our wellbeing is with the environment and the urgent need to reshape harmful systems.
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As an indigenous person who grew up in the mountains of Northern Philippines, regeneration is not just a concept but a prerequisite for life to unfold into a healthier and more robust state of being. In the indigenous Igorot community where I was raised, regeneration is seen as a holistic process that encompasses not only the physical renewal of our natural surroundings but also the revitalization of our cultural, spiritual, and social practices. Growing up, I learned that every action we take impacts the world around us. This profound teaching has shaped my understanding of regeneration, which is deeply rooted in our indigenous philosophies of interconnectedness and respect for nature. This interconnectedness means that the health of our environment is directly linked to our own well-being.

I have travelled from East to West and from the Global South to the Global North. These journeys have opened my eyes to the stark realities of life, revealing the extent of harm and exploitation embedded within our socio-economic, political, cultural, educational, healthcare, and all other systems that humans have created throughout history. While these systems often promise economic progress, they have, in many ways, become traps that negatively impact human lives and, consequently, all other forms of life. For instance, we can think of the systemic exploitation and degradation, from wealth disparity to social injustices, political corruption, and cultural decay, amongst many examples of harm that human beings brought to ourselves. Or that of our systemic dependency on fossil fuel that over time has ultimately led to climate change, environmental pollution, and geopolitical conflicts over natural resources. Even in our everyday lives, we are constantly bombarded by media, business establishments, and even educational institutions to consume and consume more!

The more I reflect on these, the more I realize that whether we like it or not, we have become part of the ongoing exploitation and degradation of the natural resources that have been freely provided to us since the beginning of time. While many have already sounded the alarm, these essential resources are alarmingly depleting. If we do not begin taking action towards a regenerative future, they may soon be lost beyond recovery.

To me, a regenerative future is a world where humanity embraces its role as stewards of the natural environment, continually growing into wiser, more thoughtful beings. In this transformative world, decisions are made with a deep understanding of their impact on the planet and its people. Individuals, families, communities, and nations work together to break free from the self-serving systems that have long dominated our societies. Building towards regeneration, we start adapting from today sustainable practices and collaborative strategies that prioritize the health of our natural environment, well-being of people, and the long-term prosperity of future generations.

Dialogue with Nature, Bodhi Shola

“A dream-like symbolism is infused into the layers of the images – they ask for a slow reading, an invitation to pause and find meaning in weaving connections between the picture that is created amongst the whole.”
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Lauren Saunders asks what if artists extended the same care given to humans to their more-than-human collaborators in this extract of Regenerative Practices in Creative Collaboration with our More-Than Human Kin.
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As a participatory artist, I find myself always taking time to see the people I work alongside as the individuals they are, celebrating their strengths and ideas, understanding their needs and trying to minimise barriers as far as possible so they can shine. I don’t understand why this caring, empowering approach typically stops with our species? Imagine what could happen if this sense of support and care was extended towards our more-than human community too.

By synthesizing literature and direct experience, I have come to some key conclusions about the approaches we must take as artists to work regeneratively alongside our more than-human-kin.

Friendship

Interactions should be respectful, discursive and empowering. Really approach more-than-human collaborators with the same level of respect, supportiveness and curiosity you would approach a human artist friend of yours with. Be respectful of their existing needs and priorities and don’t assume you take priority in that moment. Build relationships, don’t ask or expect too much too soon, and respect what they choose to share with you.

Natural Behaviours

Never ask a more-than-human collaborator to do something that it wouldn’t naturally do. Respect and value their natural abilities – you don’t need to make them do anything different so avoid pushing collaborators beyond their natural behaviours and capabilities.

Recognition

Acknowledging that more-than human collaborators are on equal footing with you–there’s no room for archaic biblical hierarchies here. Engage with them as equal co- creators whose work is valued – even when they inevitably play the role of an anthropocentric, artist-ego-extending tool – and recognise their strengths and limitations in art-making. Also recognise your assumptions, your projections and your position in the network. Acknowledge their role in the wider ecosystem and be respectful of their needs, cycles, behaviours, priorities and attributes
(remember that most Beings hunker down and rest in winter, be mindful
of nesting season, and avoid poison plants!)

Agency

Collaborators should be free to exercise their agency, including to refuse. Minimize the levels of control or manipulation as far as you can and support them to make their mark as freely as possible. And they may not want to collaborate with you, or at least not on the terms you are proposing, so actually respect their decision. In some instances this might be immediately obvious (a cat settling down for a nap instead of playing with you) but other times it may require patient, intuitive listening.

An excerpt of Tlalli - conversations with soil by Azucena Sanchez

“[These] experimental poems are crafted through a meticulous analysis of soil chromatograms, incorporating words collected during interviews with the urban gardeners. These words capture the deep bond they share with their land and the profound reverence they hold for the earth.”
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An excerpt of Regeneration by Eli Wirija

“Fon is photographed in Brooklyn, New York. She is elegantly merging with nature and understanding the peace that comes with the bamboo forest.”
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