new, and I did hope for lasting traces of your presence here. As it turned out, this is exactly what
happened: the compassion practitioners and scientists have most certainly influenced our practice.
You influenced some parts of the studio more than others, of course. On the one hand, the
seminar was a unique experience, but on the other hand, it was also very much in synch with what
was going on already.
What you brought to my studio was both a great knowledge resource from a very wise group of
thinkers and doers, and a strong feeling of physical presence. This was an important aspect, given
that these two are much too often separated. And the nature of the topic obviously succeeded in
actively integrating thinking and doing. I believe this aspect has overall influenced the work
processes in the studio. It has inspired further confidence that one cannot do anything without it
always being part of a thought process. At the same time, contemplative practices are not so alien
to many artists, and the idea of experimenting with these approaches is not at all unusual. So it
didn’t feel alien or surprising. Having the seminar at the studio wasn’t so very different from what
we normally do. I think it was – at that particular moment in time and in that context – well placed,
and people understood intuitively that it was a moment of particular quality.
MB: So what about the scientists? How did they respond? Did you think that they also
changed in some way?
TS
: I received feedback from nearly all of the participants, who said that they experienced the
workshop to be completely different from typical workshops because it was in Olafur’s space. A lot
of them said that having these objects, spheres, these visual works of art hanging everywhere
helped ideas, arguments, and creativity to flow. It was different from how it would have been in one
of those typical air-conditioned hotel seminar rooms, where you are primed in a more intellectual,
linear mind-space – here you were rather primed into a very inspiring, creative space that also
included physical and emotional elements. People told me that just being in the space triggered a
completely different process in them. Obviously, the constellation of people coming together here
was also quite special. People are still talking to me about these days in a most enthusiastic way.
MB: Given these great experiences, are you planning a second edition of the workshop?
OE:
It would be my pleasure! Tania knows that my studio will always welcome a new group of
compassionates, and we are actually working on defining topics for such a future gathering.
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