On the evening of the summer solstice, we will gather in a forest
glade within an urban center to reflect on cycles of change and the
potential for regeneration. The longest day of the year is an occasion
to celebrate the sun and to prepare for the dark. As the day ends, a
series of readings will explore the politics and poetics of time,
asking what role the solstice can play in modern, technologized
societies.
Global capitalism strives to operate continuously, all day and night,
every day and night, unconcerned with the natural cycles caused by the
rotation and revolution of the earth. We want to imagine
different ways of organizing production and consumption while
remaining vigilant against pastoral romanticism.
The current geological era, known as the Anthropocene, is defined by
the impact of humankind on the earth’s climate and ecosystem. But
despite the terrifying transformation of the planet, the sun remains
relatively constant, offering a reminder that every system has an
outside; the ecosystem is embedded in the solar system. Turning our
attention to the solar economy, we seek a vision of luxuriance rooted
in nurturing, rather than ravaging, the natural world.