The Ethics of Art - Ecological Turns in the Performing Arts

There is a growing ethical awareness in contemporary art, reflected both in its engagement with social, political, and economic challenges and in a critical examination of its own production and distribution systems. The Ethics of Art explores how artistic imagination can create new forms of experience by addressing the possibilities and limitations of the individual body within its environment.

Focusing primarily on performance and dance practices in Europe, the publication situates these disciplines within a broader framework of eco-art. It also highlights compelling examples from the United States and Canada, emphasizing the global relevance of environmentally and socially engaged artistic practices.

The first section, Ecosophy, examines eco-art and demonstrates how the ethical turn in contemporary art encourages a deeper sensitivity to ecological and environmental concerns. The second section, Caring for the Body, centers on dance, renewed attention to the body, body politics, and collaborative artistic processes. Together, these sections reveal how an ethics shaped by artistic practice can emerge through the relationship between body, environment, and society.