What is a Non-Human?

We are surrounded by other than human life forms that make up to 99.9% of life on the planet. We ask important questions such as: Do non-human species have consciousness? Do they experience embodiment? How do they communicate and make decisions so that they can survive in any condition?

Join us as we take into consideration the alternative forms of experiencing the world.

Anna Kirikova
 
Anna Kirikova is an independent curator and cultural projects developer based in Paris. Between 2018 and 2022, she was the Director of the International Programme at The Manege Central Exhibition Hall in St. Petersburg, where she commissioned and organized programming for exhibitions and other cultural events. Her most notable projects at The Manege include ‘Éspirits’ by Christian Boltanski, ‘Utopia Saved’ by Lee Bul, ‘As They See Us’ in collaboration with Magnum Photos, and NEW NOW – a research project delving into ideas of the present moment and exploring potential scenarios for our shared future. As a result of the collaboration with the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, Anna has created and is co-presenting a major public program, ‘Other Minds’, at the 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale.
 
 
 Paco Calvo
 
Paco Calvo (Ph.D., University of Glasgow, 2000) is a Professor of Philosophy of Science, and Principal Investigator of the Minimal Intelligence Laboratory (MINTLab) at the University of Murcia (Spain). His research interests range broadly within the cognitive sciences, with special emphasis on plant intelligence, ecological psychology and embodied cognitive science, robotics, and AI. He uses time-lapse photography to explore perception-action and learning in plants. His scientific articles have appeared in Annals of Botany, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Frontiers in Neurorobotics, Frontiers in Robotics and AI, Journal of the Royal Society, Plant, Cell & Environment, Plant Signaling & Behavior, Scientific Reports, and Trends in Plant Science, among other journals. He is the author of the popular best-selling book Planta Sapiens (Norton 2023, with Natalie Lawrence).
 
Ayman Zedani
 
Ayman Zedani’s investigative practice works to upend our comprehension of the past and challenge our acceptance of the future. His work includes videos, installations, and immersive environments that consider the future of the Gulf. His resultant projects are platforms to invite audiences to observe human-nonhuman symbiosis, leaving his narratives open to a multitude of interpretations and questions. His arc of inquiry highlights the interactions and relationships of humans in the more-than-human world, framing his practices and projects as extended animism.