Exhibition “Planetary Consciousness. Ecosystems of Care” at the School of Digital Arts, Manchester – opening 4 November 2025
From 4 November 2025, the exhibition “Planetary Consciousness. Ecosystems of Care” will be on view in Manchester. The project, which promotes contemporary Polish digital art, explores how artists from Poland and Ukraine use new media and technology to express their concern for the planet.
The event, organised at the School of Digital Arts (SODA) in Manchester, is the result of cooperation between the Galeria Arsenał in Białystok and the 3D and Virtual Events Studio II at the Faculty of Media Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
The exhibition forms part of the UK/Poland Season 2025 — an unprecedented cultural programme featuring dozens of events across Poland and the United Kingdom — and will run until 2 December 2025.
The project is inspired by the idea of planetary consciousness – a way of thinking about the world that transcends national borders and the traditional concept of globalisation. It refers to the concept developed by sociologist Roland Robertson, who coined the term global consciousness and drew attention to the need to look not only at relations between countries but also at the relationship between the Earth and the wider universe.
The exhibition “Planetary Consciousness” focuses on the Earth as a planet that is exploited, abused, disregarded, and gradually brought to the brink of destruction. At the same time, it is increasingly perceived as a subject rather than an object – with empathy and care. The artists address issues of contemporary ecological and technological change, asking how new media can help us better understand the world and respond to the challenges of the Anthropocene.
The concept of the exhibition is also inspired by the thought of Hong Kong-based philosopher of technology Yuk Hui. His notion of planetary thinking encourages us to move beyond competition between countries and to seek a new language of coexistence – one that allows humans, animals, and other forms of life to share the planet. In this way, the project encourages us to see ourselves not only as citizens of individual countries, but above all as inhabitants of one shared planet.
We seek to embrace the principles of planetary thinking by examining the structure of the contemporary technosphere and its connections with the field of art. The presented works, which deliberately employ new imaging techniques, adopt a planetary perspective and take the notion of care for the planet as their starting point. Their creators come from Poland and Ukraine – a region now commonly referred to as Eastern, or Central and Eastern, Europe. Through sensitive, contemplative, and poetic gestures, the artists explore relationships on both micro and macro scales, devising new modes of communication between the technosphere, humans and non-human entities. Through their distinctive aesthetics, they offer innovative approaches to the essence of being – say the exhibition’s curators Eliza Urwanowicz-Rojecka and Jakub Wróblewski.
The exhibition “Planetary Consciousness” is an excellent example of how Polish digital art engages in dialogue with the most pressing challenges of our time – the future of our planet, ecology and technological development. I am delighted that the Adam Mickiewicz Institute can contribute to the presentation of such an important project as part of the UK/Poland Season 2025 cultural programme, which highlights the shared values that unite Poland and the United Kingdom. This exhibition not only presents the unique voices of artists, but also initiates an important international dialogue on the future of our planet – emphasises Olga Brzezińska, Deputy Director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
Planetary consciousness. Ecosystems of Care
4 November – 2 December 2025
Venue:
School of Digital Arts (SODA), Manchester Metropolitan University (14 Higher Chatham Street, Manchester, M15 6ED)
Artists:
Ernest Borowski, Hubert Czerepok, Rafał Dominik, Eternal Engine, Justyna Górowska, INEXSISTENS, Andrei Isakov, Piotr Kopik, Agnieszka Polska, PXKRW, Szymon Rogiński, Sebulec, Anastasiia Vorobiova, Dominika Wolska
Curatorial Team:
Eliza Urwanowicz-Rojecka & Jakub Wróblewski
Organizers:
SODA Manchester (School of Digital Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University)
Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Arsenał Gallery in Białystok
Partner:
3D Studio and Virtual Events II, Faculty of Media Arts, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
Visual Identity:
Renata Motyka
UK/Poland Season 2025 is a cultural programme of unprecedented scale, featuring several dozen events across multiple cities in both Poland and the UK. Running until November 2025, the season marks a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, revitalising cultural dialogue and strengthening existing ties between the two countries. For residents of both countries, it offers a unique opportunity to explore the most exciting artistic phenomena from both sides – encompassing film, theatre, visual arts, design, and music. In Poland, the events are organised by the British Council, while in the UK – by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the Polish Cultural Institute, and the British Council. The organisation of the Season in the UK and Northern Ireland is supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Poland.
Media contact:
Zuzanna Tartanus
e-mail: [email protected]
