Friday Lates: Art beyond the human - spirits, ecologies, and A.I.
To some, art is central to what makes us human, but artists have long engaged more-than-human agencies—spiritual, ecological, now digital. Surrealism appropriated spiritualist and indigenous traditions; Land Art made ecosystems co-authors. Today, as some talk of an ‘Anthropocene’, many artists turn their attention elsewhere. Did ancient hominids make art? Can birds, or even fish? And what about AI? Decentering the Human
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Western art history often frames creativity as uniquely—even definitively—human, yet this session reveals how artists have long engaged with forces beyond human agency: from spirits and ecosystems to artificial intelligence. Challenging myths of artistic exceptionalism, we explore examples of other-than-human collaboration, including spirits, muses, and divine inspiration, alongside Modernism’s embrace of chance (Dada, Surrealism). Though framed in secular terms, such movements echo traditions of spirit mediums and non-Western cosmologies, suggesting that humanist art was never purely human.
The mid-20th century saw artists ceding control to material processes (Abstract Expressionism, Process Art, Postminimalism) and ecological forces (Robert Smithson, Agnes Denes, Nancy Holt). Today, this legacy expands into Relational Aesthetics, so-called ‘New Materialism’, and ‘Object-Oriented Ontology’ (Ursula Biemann), as well as interspecies collaborations—from Nightingale duets to legal debates over non-human authorship (MOTH Collective’s and Los Cedros Cloud Forest’s Song of the Cedars). Meanwhile, animal or plant creativity—from bowerbirds, to painting elephants, or even simply flowers—blurs boundaries between instinct and aesthetic intent. Even our extinct relatives, Neanderthals and Homo erectus, left behind enigmatic markings, undermining human claims to artistic monopoly.
Now, AI-generated images reignite age-old questions: Can machines be creative? Is art defined by human intent, or by a capacity to provoke meaning? From Coca-Cola’s controversial AI ads to Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg’s algorithmic gardens, designed for an insect’s eye, contemporary practice revisits agency, authorship, and the very definition of art. Spiritual, ecological, or technological, this session argues art has always been more than human—and reflecting on this reshapes how we understand creativity in an age of climate crisis and artificial intelligence.
What will we cover?
Non-human agency in historical and contemporary art
Surrealism’s occult roots vs. modernist materialism
Land art, relational aesthetics, and ecological collaboration
Animal creativity and interspecies art
Debates around AI as a creative agent
Decentering the human: legal, ethical, and philosophical implications
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Critically assess the role of non-human agency (spiritual, ecological, technological) in shaping examples of artistic practice.
• Compare and contrast Modernist approaches (e.g., Surrealism, Process Art) with perspectives from outside of the modern Western canon.
• Evaluate the ethical and philosophical implications of AI, animal, and environmental authorship in contemporary art.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels.
You should be able to operate basic Zoom elements including microphone, camera and chat function.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussion. Please note: online courses are live and are not recorded for reasons related to data protection, copyright and digital infrastructure.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You might wish to have a notebook for taking notes. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list provided.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Art & nature in China, Japan and South Asia: 1600-present
Christopher Collier trained as an artist, before gaining an MA in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths and a PhD in Art History and Theory from the University of Essex. He has taught at institutions including the University of Essex, Cambridge School of Art, and Winchester School of Art, as well as presenting internationally at a range of workshops and conferences, including at the ICA, London and CCA, Glasgow. His broad range of interests includes the intersections of art and the more-than-human world, along with art's relations to wider political economy and cultural theory. He is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/friday-lates-art-beyond-the-human-spirits-ecologies-and-a-i2916183Friday Lates: Art beyond the human - spirits, ecologies, and A.I.https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/f/r/friday-lates-art-beyond-the-human-spirits-ecologies-and-a-i-vb181-1080.jpeg1919GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Art, ideas & theory/Courses/Online courses/Courses/vm/Environment & Sustainability/Courses/vm/Inspired by nature22851136117718831731136691373012285117711361653<p>To some, art is central to what makes us human, but artists have long engaged more-than-human agencies—spiritual, ecological, now digital. Surrealism appropriated spiritualist and indigenous traditions; Land Art made ecosystems co-authors. Today, as some talk of an ‘Anthropocene’, many artists turn their attention elsewhere. Did ancient hominids make art? Can birds, or even fish? And what about AI? Decentering the Human reshapes what art is—but are we ready?</p><p> </p>002916135Friday Lates: Art beyond the human - spirits, ecologies, and A.I.1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/f/r/friday-lates-art-beyond-the-human-spirits-ecologies-and-a-i-vb181-1080_1.jpegInStockEveningFriOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-06-26T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJun 2026Culture, history & humanitiesVB1611919Friday Lates: Art beyond the human - spirits, ecologies, and A.I.191219Christopher Collierfriday-lates-art-beyond-the-human-spirits-ecologies-and-a-i/vb161-2526<p>To some, art is central to what makes us human, but artists have long engaged more-than-human agencies—spiritual, ecological, now digital. Surrealism appropriated spiritualist and indigenous traditions; Land Art made ecosystems co-authors. Today, as some talk of an ‘Anthropocene’, many artists turn their attention elsewhere. Did ancient hominids make art? Can birds, or even fish? And what about AI? Decentering the Human reshapes what art is—but are we ready?</p><p> </p>0000-Available|2026-06-26 00:00:00<p>Western art history often frames creativity as uniquely—even definitively—human, yet this session reveals how artists have long engaged with forces beyond human agency: from spirits and ecosystems to artificial intelligence. Challenging myths of artistic exceptionalism, we explore examples of other-than-human collaboration, including spirits, muses, and divine inspiration, alongside Modernism’s embrace of chance (Dada, Surrealism). Though framed in secular terms, such movements echo traditions of spirit mediums and non-Western cosmologies, suggesting that humanist art was never purely human.</p><p><br/>The mid-20th century saw artists ceding control to material processes (Abstract Expressionism, Process Art, Postminimalism) and ecological forces (Robert Smithson, Agnes Denes, Nancy Holt). Today, this legacy expands into Relational Aesthetics, so-called ‘New Materialism’, and ‘Object-Oriented Ontology’ (Ursula Biemann), as well as interspecies collaborations—from Nightingale duets to legal debates over non-human authorship (MOTH Collective’s and Los Cedros Cloud Forest’s Song of the Cedars). Meanwhile, animal or plant creativity—from bowerbirds, to painting elephants, or even simply flowers—blurs boundaries between instinct and aesthetic intent. Even our extinct relatives, Neanderthals and Homo erectus, left behind enigmatic markings, undermining human claims to artistic monopoly.</p><p><br/>Now, AI-generated images reignite age-old questions: Can machines be creative? Is art defined by human intent, or by a capacity to provoke meaning? From Coca-Cola’s controversial AI ads to Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg’s algorithmic gardens, designed for an insect’s eye, contemporary practice revisits agency, authorship, and the very definition of art. Spiritual, ecological, or technological, this session argues art has always been more than human—and reflecting on this reshapes how we understand creativity in an age of climate crisis and artificial intelligence.<br/> </p><p>To some, art is central to what makes us human, but artists have long engaged more-than-human agencies—spiritual, ecological, now digital. Surrealism appropriated spiritualist and indigenous traditions; Land Art made ecosystems co-authors. Today, as some talk of an ‘Anthropocene’, many artists turn their attention elsewhere. Did ancient hominids make art? Can birds, or even fish? And what about AI? Decentering the Human reshapes what art is—but are we ready?</p><p> </p><ul><li>Non-human agency in historical and contemporary art</li><li>Surrealism’s occult roots vs. modernist materialism</li><li>Land art, relational aesthetics, and ecological collaboration</li><li>Animal creativity and interspecies art</li><li>Debates around AI as a creative agent</li><li>Decentering the human: legal, ethical, and philosophical implications</li></ul><p>• Critically assess the role of non-human agency (spiritual, ecological, technological) in shaping examples of artistic practice.<br/><br/>• Compare and contrast Modernist approaches (e.g., Surrealism, Process Art) with perspectives from outside of the modern Western canon.<br/> </p><p>• Evaluate the ethical and philosophical implications of AI, animal, and environmental authorship in contemporary art.</p><p>This course is suitable for all levels.</p><p>You should be able to operate basic Zoom elements including microphone, camera and chat function. </p><p>You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussion. <strong>Please note</strong>: online courses are live and are not recorded for reasons related to data protection, copyright and digital infrastructure.</p><p>You might wish to have a notebook for taking notes. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list provided. </p><p>Art & nature in China, Japan and South Asia: 1600-present</p><p>Art and critical theory: rethinking 'nature'</p>Art historyArt, ideas & theoryvirtual191912VB161NONEFri26/06/2618:00 - 20:0018:0020:001 session1One-off onlyWeekdayOnlineOnlineChristopher CollierBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-06-26T00:00:00+00:00EveningJun 2026Culture, history & humanities1919Friday Lates: Art beyond the human - spirits, ecologies, and A.I.friday-lates-art-beyond-the-human-spirits-ecologies-and-a-i/vb161-2526<p>To some, art is central to what makes us human, but artists have long engaged more-than-human agencies—spiritual, ecological, now digital. Surrealism appropriated spiritualist and indigenous traditions; Land Art made ecosystems co-authors. Today, as some talk of an ‘Anthropocene’, many artists turn their attention elsewhere. Did ancient hominids make art? Can birds, or even fish? And what about AI? Decentering the Human reshapes what art is—but are we ready?</p><p> </p>0000-Available|2026-06-26 00:00:00<p>Western art history often frames creativity as uniquely—even definitively—human, yet this session reveals how artists have long engaged with forces beyond human agency: from spirits and ecosystems to artificial intelligence. Challenging myths of artistic exceptionalism, we explore examples of other-than-human collaboration, including spirits, muses, and divine inspiration, alongside Modernism’s embrace of chance (Dada, Surrealism). Though framed in secular terms, such movements echo traditions of spirit mediums and non-Western cosmologies, suggesting that humanist art was never purely human.</p><p><br/>The mid-20th century saw artists ceding control to material processes (Abstract Expressionism, Process Art, Postminimalism) and ecological forces (Robert Smithson, Agnes Denes, Nancy Holt). Today, this legacy expands into Relational Aesthetics, so-called ‘New Materialism’, and ‘Object-Oriented Ontology’ (Ursula Biemann), as well as interspecies collaborations—from Nightingale duets to legal debates over non-human authorship (MOTH Collective’s and Los Cedros Cloud Forest’s Song of the Cedars). Meanwhile, animal or plant creativity—from bowerbirds, to painting elephants, or even simply flowers—blurs boundaries between instinct and aesthetic intent. Even our extinct relatives, Neanderthals and Homo erectus, left behind enigmatic markings, undermining human claims to artistic monopoly.</p><p><br/>Now, AI-generated images reignite age-old questions: Can machines be creative? Is art defined by human intent, or by a capacity to provoke meaning? From Coca-Cola’s controversial AI ads to Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg’s algorithmic gardens, designed for an insect’s eye, contemporary practice revisits agency, authorship, and the very definition of art. Spiritual, ecological, or technological, this session argues art has always been more than human—and reflecting on this reshapes how we understand creativity in an age of climate crisis and artificial intelligence.<br/> </p><p>To some, art is central to what makes us human, but artists have long engaged more-than-human agencies—spiritual, ecological, now digital. Surrealism appropriated spiritualist and indigenous traditions; Land Art made ecosystems co-authors. Today, as some talk of an ‘Anthropocene’, many artists turn their attention elsewhere. Did ancient hominids make art? Can birds, or even fish? And what about AI? Decentering the Human reshapes what art is—but are we ready?</p><p> </p><ul><li>Non-human agency in historical and contemporary art</li><li>Surrealism’s occult roots vs. modernist materialism</li><li>Land art, relational aesthetics, and ecological collaboration</li><li>Animal creativity and interspecies art</li><li>Debates around AI as a creative agent</li><li>Decentering the human: legal, ethical, and philosophical implications</li></ul><p>• Critically assess the role of non-human agency (spiritual, ecological, technological) in shaping examples of artistic practice.<br/><br/>• Compare and contrast Modernist approaches (e.g., Surrealism, Process Art) with perspectives from outside of the modern Western canon.<br/> </p><p>• Evaluate the ethical and philosophical implications of AI, animal, and environmental authorship in contemporary art.</p><p>This course is suitable for all levels.</p><p>You should be able to operate basic Zoom elements including microphone, camera and chat function. </p><p>You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussion. <strong>Please note</strong>: online courses are live and are not recorded for reasons related to data protection, copyright and digital infrastructure.</p><p>You might wish to have a notebook for taking notes. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list provided. </p><p>Art &amp; nature in China, Japan and South Asia: 1600-present</p><p>Art and critical theory: rethinking 'nature'</p>Art historyArt, ideas & theoryconfigurable
18831136Art, ideas & theoryhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/art-history/art-ideas-theory1/2/285/1177/1136/18831/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Art, ideas & theory
