The Watermill Center’s annual Scaler Summer Lecture Series will commence Tuesday, August 2, with distinguished speakers discussing topics in science, humanities and the arts. Curated by the center’s founder and artistic director, Robert Wilson, the six diverse lecturers were invited to contribute to this year’s theme, “Talks that Inspire and Challenge.”
The first lecturer in the series, notable Syrian clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh, will speak on the subject of “Art in Times of Crisis.” A graduate of the Juilliard School and the first Arab recipient of the premier prize at the Nicolai Rubinstein International Competition in Moscow in 1997, he is internationally recognized for his musical talent and unique sound.
Then on Thursday, August 4, painter and Georgetown University professor BG Kuhn will delve into the relatively unexplored topic of North Korean art in his lecture, “Contemporary North Korean Art: Complexity Within Simplicity.”
On Saturday, August 6, neuroscientist Carl Schoonover will visit with a lecture on “How to Look Inside the Brain.” A postdoctoral fellow in Columbia University’s Axel Laboratory, he will examine the tools used in neuroscience research from early medieval methods to today’s intricate technology.
Award-winning freelance theater director and writer Wesley Enoch will present “Songlines—Aboriginal Traditions in Contemporary Australian Culture” on Thursday, August 11. This lecture will highlight how songs play a pivotal role in Aboriginal culture and practices.
Dr. Cornel West, a prominent figure in the realm of social justice and democracy, will give his speech “Democracy Matters” on Tuesday, August 16. His topics will include police brutality, social activism and the 2016 political climate, with a broader message promoting love and equality.
Lastly, on Thursday, August 18, New York-based conceptual artist Mary Ellen Carroll will discuss how unsuspecting materials, such as infrastructure and law, can be used in art. Her lecture, curiously titled “too, stop the war (First, we will Google Shakespeare, and then you will listen to a folk song)” will be accompanied by a unique performance by singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia.
Each lecture has a 7:30 p.m. start time. The Watermill Center is located at 39 Water Mill Towd Road in Water Mill. Admission to the lectures is free, but reservations are required. To reserve a seat, visit watermillcenter.org.
on Jul 26, 2016