Show Notes
Poet, multidisciplinary artist and pedagogue, Alyssa Martens joins Damian to explore the intersection of climate grief, artistic expression, and the urgent need for cultural shifts in environmental storytelling. Drawing from her experience with the Arctic and her emotionally charged performances, Alyssa reflects on poetry’s power to make climate change feel personal and transformative. The conversation dives into the role of vulnerability, hope, and beauty in catalyzing action and emotional connection in a warming world.
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Ecologist and sustainability expert Dr. Elena Bennett speaks with Damian about imagining hopeful futures in the Anthropocene. They discuss the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes project, the power of transdisciplinary collaborations, and how artists and scientists can co-create compelling, solution-oriented narratives. Elena shares insights into systems thinking, positive tipping points, and the transformative role of joy in reimagining the world.
Legendary dancer Margie Gillis joins Damian to reflect on five decades of artistic exploration, feminine consciousness, and embodied wisdom. Together, they discuss the body as a vessel for knowledge, the interconnectedness of all life, and the political importance of joy. Margie shares profound insights on legacy, ritual, and the quiet power of presence in a world that often forgets to feel.
Inuit photographer and activist Katherine Takpannie reflects on the connection between the female body, land, and Inuit knowledge systems. This powerful conversation covers themes of identity, motherhood, survival, and cultural sovereignty. Through her lens, Katherine captures the strength of Indigenous women and challenges colonial portrayals of the Arctic, offering a deeply personal and political perspective on reclaiming space and story.
Artists Diana Leon and Paco Ziel of VIAS reflect on their cross-border dance practice rooted in decoloniality and cumbia as a living archive. They discuss the body as a site of resistance, memory, and regeneration, while tracing the spiritual and political lineage of Latin American rhythms. This episode celebrates embodied knowledge, collective joy, and how choreography becomes a language for radical care and change.
Scholar and writer Catriona Sandilands talks with Damian about the intersections of queer theory, ecology, and feminist ethics. They explore how queering environmental thought opens up more inclusive and relational ways of living with the Earth. This episode is an invitation to rethink nature beyond binaries, embracing fluidity, interdependence, and joy in our connections with the more-than-human.