Symposium Announcement – EVA NETWORK

Care Aesthetics, Democracy and Digital Arts
February 8, 2025 – Université Paris 1 Panthéon-SorbonneOrganized by Barbara Formis

EVA NETWORK is pleased to announce the symposium “Care Aesthetics, Democracy and Digital Arts,” held on February 8, 2025, at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, under the patronage of Evanetwork.

Continuing its activities with a new event at the Sorbonne, Evanetwork fosters an interdisciplinary dialogue between artists and philosophers on key themes of Everyday Aesthetics, such as care, attention, and sharing—elements that can be enhanced by digital tools.

In a time of political and ecological crisis, aesthetics provides a framework for understanding the impact of imagination, cultural differences, and artistic practices on political dynamics. This symposium explored the role of digital arts in deliberative democracy, analyzing how digital technologies can foster empathy, collaboration, and political participation through interactive artistic experiences.

The symposium featured distinguished speakers such as Yuriko Saito (Professor Emerita, Rhode Island School of Design, USA), who engaged in dialogue with Barbara Formis (Paris 1), and Richard Shusterman (Professor, Florida Atlantic University, USA), introduced by Sandra Laugier (Paris 1).

The various panels highlighted the potential of digital platforms in creating new spaces for collaboration and democratic deliberation while addressing challenges such as the digital divide, misinformation, and the balance between aesthetics and political functionality. The integration of care aesthetics, creative democracy, and digital technology opens new possibilities for a more inclusive and effective civic engagement.

The symposium also enriched the Evanetwork community with contributions from scholars such as Elisabetta Di Stefano (University of Palermo, Italy) and Lisa Giombini (University of Roma 3, Italy), alongside artists and researchers including Azadeh Nilchiani (Post-doc, Dem’arts, Paris 1), Xavier Boissarie (Artist), Marie Coirié (Designer), and Tatsiana Zhurauliova (Post-doc, Demoseries, Paris 1).