After almost three years of working on Queer River, in Spring 2023 James decided to start up a sister project researching Neuroqueer Ecologies.
The approach was intended to be similar to Queer River, with a focus on using creative collaboration and dialogue to better understand the experiences of Neurodivergent people, and more specifically what they can bring to conversations around art, ecology and the earth crisis.
‘What do I mean by Neuroqueer Ecologies? Well in a similar way to Queer Ecology and Trans Ecology/Transecology I mean the learning that can come from listening to the experiences and perspectives of Neurodivergent people, and valuing the differences we bring.
The ways that (for example) sensory differences, systemising differences, or identities/behaviours developed under social pressure/through trauma, might inform our understanding of the ecologies of place.‘
James Aldridge – Art, Ecology and Learning
What James began to realise however, was that Neuroqueer Ecologies was better suited as a term for an area of research/practice which permeates all of his work, rather than a separate project with defined boundaries. One that builds on Queer Ecology, and Dr Nick Walker’s work on Neuroqueer-ness, to define an area of research-led practice that explores the value of neurodivergent perspectives on ecologies of place.
Neuroqueer Ecologies related writing, walks, exhibitions etc will continue to be included here on the Queer River blog under the category Neuroqueer Ecologies.
For more information on what it means to (be) Neuroqueer, please see this earlier Queer River post of the same name. For something more on James’ own personal relationship to the subject, read his post Art, Ecology and Autism.
If you are interested in commissioning James to write, talk or exhibit, or if the themes of your own work are related and you’d like to have a chat or propose a collaboration, please do get in touch with your thoughts.
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