After almost three years of working on Queer River, James is now in the process (Spring 2023) of starting up a sister project researching Neuroqueer Ecologies.
The approach will be similar, 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
There will be crossovers with Queer River, the focus of some work may be watery for instance and so sit across the two, whilst other research may look at ND people’s perceptions of a different type of environment all together.
Neuroqueer Ecologies writing, walks, exhibitions etc will be included here on the Queer River blog under the category Neuroqueer Ecologies.
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.
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.
Queer River 