A two-day research impact event will take place in Newcastle on 29–30 May, exploring the role of touch, movement, and kinaesthesia in artistic practice and community formation.
A two-day research impact event will take place in Newcastle on 29–30 May, exploring the role of touch, movement, and kinaesthesia in artistic practice and community formation. The event is based on the monograph Touching the Unreachable: Writing, Skinship, Modern Japan, recently recognised as runner-up for the British Comparative Literature Association’s inaugural First Book Prize 2025.
Bringing together practitioners, scholars, and members of the public, the event develops ongoing research impact and engagement work across Japan (2021–23) and the United States (2025), examining how embodied practices can shape alternative forms of community.
Touching the Unreachable: Writing, Skinship, Modern Japan investigates how touch and “skinship” are represented and theorised in modern Japanese cultural production. The Newcastle event extends this research into practice-led and participatory contexts, translating conceptual work into embodied exploration.
The project has informed a series of international workshops and collaborations, culminating in this UK-based impact event combining academic discussion and artistic practice.
The Friday programme is aimed at artists, dancers, and academics, featuring:
The Saturday programme is open to the general public, offering:
Full details and registration are available here: Eventbrite – Touch, Gesture and Kinaesthesia Workshops and Talks
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