What kind of vessel is that?
What is it that you give to the world?
What is it that you receive from the world?
This is a collaborative project that aims to create an experience that allows people to imaginatively create new metaphors, grounded in their own physical, cultural and creative experience. Through research, experiment and workshop processes we hope to invite people to connect to their own meaning and experience of what it means to be in a reciprocal relationship with other humans and the more-than-human world - to give and receive from their vessel.
“If we want to grow good citizens, then let us teach reciprocity. If what we aspire to is justice for all, then let it be justice for all Creation.” - Robin Wall Kimmerer
We recognise that reciprocity as a way of being and relating to the world is prevalent in Indigenous communities. It is less common in Western, extractivist and individualist culture; culture that is enforced by dominant narratives and metaphors. By enabling people to use their creativity and imagination to create new meaning, and connect to others, we hope to shift power, and inspire action with those that wish to be part of a more equitable, just and reciprocal future.
The idea is grounded in the work of Lakoff and Johnson, which demonstrates the powerful impact that language and metaphor have on our understanding, meaning and reality. In their book Metaphors we Live By, they proposed
“New metaphors have the power to create a new reality.”
“Much of culture change arises from the introduction of new metaphorical concepts and the loss of old ones.”
“A metaphor may thus be a guide for future action.”
We believe that the collective exploration and co-creation of metaphorical contexts and individual meaning will facilitate small but impactful shifts or ripples in thinking and behaviours, ultimately building resilience and a greater sense of shared understanding and community in the face of the climate crisis.
This work brings together the motivations, experiences and skills of two interdisciplinary practitioners; Jessica Ball and Rijul Narwal. We both share a passion for eco-social justice and innovation. In our work we aim to challenge the status quo, and shift perception and thinking via facilitation, communication tools, and design thinking.
If you would like to be part of this work or find out more please get in touch at jessica@creatingmeaning.club