Waves, process and environmentalism

Shorelines and beaches are haunting, evocative places where waves viscerally, as well as physically, sculpture the liminal environment. Waves have been the subject of artistic inspiration and scientific study throughout history. From the early records of surfing at Kealakekua Bay in the late 1800s to present day wave machines in advanced scientific laboratories humans have had a fascination with waves that stretch across the art and science divide. However, as recounted in the recent BBC documentary ’the secret lives of waves’, relating to waves might have fundamental implications for understanding humans and their relationship with the world around them. Waves provide a tangible vehicle, which humans can connect to emotionally as well as scientifically, for exploring the fundamental idea of a relational, process driven world, rather than a world of static objects. Within environmentalism an ecocentric environmental position has long argued for a non-dualistic way of relating humans and nature. This presentation will explore the potential of waves to provide a perspective on exploring a relational, hybrid, process driven reality that envisions the unity of people and nature without losing perspective on what it means to be human