There is a growing recognition of the benefits of transdisciplinary collaborations and of the importance of relationship building in such projects. This research project evaluates the Exquisite Corpse method as a way of strengthening relationships in communities and inter- or transdisciplinary collaborations. It is an art-based asynchronous process where a group of people create art around a shared inspirational prompt. Art pieces are exchanged and further developed within the group which leads to important conversations around people’s underlying values and perspectives.
This is an ongoing project that started in April 2021. Within the Cobra Collective, we tried the Exquisite Corpse method among members of the Collective as an initial exploration. In September 2021, we conducted the first research-focused iteration of the Exquisite Corpse project in collaboration with Ocean Networks Canada with a focus on Ocean scientists interested in ArtScience. The results of this first iteration were presented at the 2021 AGU Fall Meeting. In the Spring of 2022 we organised another iteration of the Exquisite Corpse Project with a more open focus inviting both Ocean scientists and Artists with an interest in Ocean ArtScience. The results of this circle were presented at the 2022 AGU Fall Meeting and the 2022 SRI Congress. Currently, we are in the process of writing a publication about our experiences with this project.
Image Description: Example artworks from the Exquisite Corpse Project in different media. Clockwise from upper left: Untitled, acrylic painting by A. Neilson; Frame from the video Direction by J. Jung; Tanaga-style poem by D. Owens; Untitled acrylic painted sculpture by D. Narvaez; Portion of Flavors, a poetic food work by A. Zivian.