Beykoz University Faculty of Art and Design is pleased to announce the 3rd International Interdisciplinary Symposium Border/less 3.0 with the theme "Ecology Now" which aims to explore critical environmental issues through the lenses of art, design, and social sciences. As ecological concerns intensify in the 21st century, interdisciplinary approaches are essential to understanding and addressing the complexities of environmental sustainability, climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecological justice.
Since the 19th century, a wide range of disciplines, including philosophy, literature, and the arts, have focused on environmental issues. Groundbreaking literary reflections on nature, from Thoreau's Walden to Amitav Ghosh's The Great Derangement, from Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, which transformed public awareness of environmental degradation and catalyzed ecological movements, to Ruth Ozeki's All Over Creation, which focused on the dangers of genetically modified food, challenge us to rethink our relationship with nature as both spiritual and pragmatic. In addition, philosophical insights from the likes of John Stuart Mill and Martin Heidegger shed light on the ethical dimensions of sustainability, the common good and human responsibility towards the environment. Contributions may also reflect on how artists since the 19th century have depicted the fragile beauty of nature.
This year we invite submissions that consider ecology from a holistic perspective, drawing on Félix Guattari's concept of The Three Ecologies - environmental, social and mental. Guattari's framework invites us to consider ecological issues not only as environmental concerns, but as interrelated social and mental phenomena that shape our engagement with sustainability.
We invite scholars, artists, designers and practitioners from the arts, design and social sciences to submit abstracts that reflect on the multifaceted relationship between human societies and the environment. We particularly encourage submissions that promote dialogue across disciplines and that propose innovative, creative and practical solutions to the environmental challenges we face today.
The symposium will be held hybrid and the symposium languages are Turkish and English.
Suggested Topics Include (but are not limited to):
By integrating these perspectives, Border/less 3.0 seeks to foster a dialogue across disciplines and to stimulate discussion on the intersections of the environmental, social, and aesthetic spheres. We encourage submissions that engage with both historical and contemporary insights that challenge us to rethink and reshape our relationship with the environment for a sustainable future.
Curator, Art Critic, Author
We warmly welcome abstract submissions of 250 to 350 words to Google Form latest by March 23, 2025. Abstracts should not have been previously published, and may be in English or Turkish.
The dimensions of the poster presentations should be 100 x 70 cm (one piece) or 50 x 70 cm (two pieces). There should be a margin of 3 cm from the edges of the posters on white background. The font should be Times New Roman. Body text should be in 18 pt, headings in 28 pt, subheadings in 22 pt. The body text should be presented in three columns and the resolutions of the images should be suitable for printing.
You can reach us following the email: borderless@beykoz.edu.tr
Proceedings Book: Accepted abstracts will be published in the proceedings abstract book.
Oral presentation for lecturers and independent researchers: 800 TL (₺)
Oral presentation for graduate students: 500 TL (₺)
IBAN: TR94 0013 4000 0133 8804 6001 39
Account Number: 13388046-397 (TRY)
Branch Code: 2410
Receiver: BEYKOZ ÜNİVERSİTESİ
Natural Paradoxes explores the complex, often contradictory relationship between humanity and the natural world. In a time of unprecedented environmental change, this exhibition seeks to reveal the paradoxes inherent in our interactions with nature, highlighting how humanity is both a part of and apart from the ecosystems we inhabit.
Natural ParadoxesThe artworks in Natural Paradoxes bring into focus a world where humans are both caretakers and exploiters, healers and destroyers. We benefit from nature's abundance, yet often exhaust its resources; we seek peace in wilderness, yet threaten its existence. These paradoxes reflect our entangled roles in a living environment that is increasingly shaped by human activity, questioning where nature ends and culture begins.
Through diverse media, including installations, photography, sculpture, and digital art, the exhibition examines themes of resilience and fragility, conservation and consumption, innovation and degradation. Each work invites viewers to confront the tensions in our ecological footprint and to consider how human agency impacts and redefines the natural world.
In navigating these paradoxes, Natural Paradoxes aspires to spark reflection on the ethical and practical challenges of coexisting with nature in a time of crisis. This exhibition is a call to recognize our complex relationship with the Earth—not as conquerors but as participants in an intricate web of life that demands both humility and responsibility.
You can apply for the exhibition (in collaboration with Labirent Sanat) through the following link
You can reach us following the email: borderless@beykoz.edu.tr
There is no restriction on the medium of the works when applying for the exhibition.
Exhibiting work for artists and designers working in an institution 800 TL (₺)
Exhibiting work for freelance artists and graduate students 500 TL (₺)
IBAN: TR94 0013 4000 0133 8804 6001 39
Account Number: 13388046-397 (TRY)
Branch Code: 2410
Receiver: BEYKOZ ÜNİVERSİTESİ
March 23th, 2025
April 11th, 2025
April 20th, 2025
April 28th, 2025
13-14 May 2025
Papers accepted to be presented at the symposium will be published in the book of abstracts with E-ISBN after the presentation.