Emerson Contemporary

In Conversation: Julia Krupa and Eileen Ryan
2026-03-26 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Thursday, March 26, 12–1 PM

Join us for a conversation with artists Julia Krupa and Eileen Ryan as they discuss their work in A Sentient Land: Aesthetic Alliances with Forests, Beetles, Salt, and Air.

Krupa and Ryan will explore their innovative artistic practices that blur the boundaries between creator and material. Through methods, including oral history and specimen collection, forge collaborative relationships with natural elements—inviting beetles and herbs to become active participants in the creative process.

This conversation delves into the intersections of science, aesthetics, and spirituality that shape their work. Together, these artists, who created immersive installations in A Sentient Land, address questions central to the exhibition: How do we translate on behalf of non-human materials? What role do speculation and anthropomorphism play in fostering interspecies connections? How can artistic practice generate greater empathy and hope for our shared future?

Free and open to the public. A Sentient Land: Aesthetic Alliances with Forests, Beetles, Salt, and Air is on view through March 28, 2026, at Emerson Contemporary, 25 Avery Street, Boston.
