Carthasis, Critique or Consent
Event Name: Creative Brain WeekVenue/Location: Trinity College Dublin
Date: 7th March 2023 -
contributions from Rachel Clarke-Hughes and Karin Diamond
Chair/Other Speakers:
Nicholas Johnson
Chaired by Nicholas Johnson at Trinity College Dublin, Catharsis, Critique or Consent was a featured session of Creative Brain Week 2023. The panel, featuring artist David Cotterrell, Rachel Clarke-Hughes, and Karin Diamond, explored how creativity and imagination serve as vital responses to the trauma of conflict. The discussion examined the intersection of brain science and the arts, focusing on the ethical and transformative role of the artist in peacebuilding and care.
This session explored the ethical dilemmas of documenting and responding to human suffering through art. David Cotterrell, an installation artist and former commissioned war artist, shared his experiences of maintaining agency and empathy in conflict zones. The panel discussed whether creative interventions provide catharsis for survivors, critique institutional power, or require deeper participant consent.
Cotterrell contributed this chapter to the Creative Brain Week: Knowledge Making book