John P. Birkelund Lecture

Environment as Protagonist

Artist A.K. Burns deploys humor and intellect to critique the contemporary political and economic systems that determine value. In this talk, Burns provides an engaging overview of their artistic practice and presents recent projects that raise critical questions about topics such as resource exploitation, environmental vulnerability, and the effects of marginalization. The talk concludes with a discussion of “Negative Space,” a series of allegorical video installations that challenge traditional narratives of cinema, art history, and current events.