MAAT and Lisbon School of Medicine partner on intensive course

The course 'Ethics, Aesthetics and Phenomenology of Closure and Relational Proximity in Contemporary Society', promoted by Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon, takes place from 1 to 4 July at MAAT. Developed in partnership between the academic institution and the museum, the programme takes as a point of reference the exhibition Poetic Earth - Anna Maria Maiolino, on view at the MAAT Gallery, which will provide a conceptual framework for the development of some of its activities.. 

This course proposes an interdisciplinary reflection on how experiences of closeness, distance and closure are produced, lived and understood in contemporary societies, with particular attention to the contexts of health and mental health. 

Bringing together perspectives from fields such as ethics, medicine, law, architecture, sociology, anthropology, medical humanities and the arts, the course examines how human relationships — especially relationships of care — begin, evolve and come to an end. It explores the ethical, aesthetic and phenomenological dimensions of these experiences, addressing situations in which closure becomes fragile, incomplete or contested. 

Among the themes discussed are the experience of proximity and distance in clinical encounters, the narrative and emotional limits of trauma and illness, institutional decision-making in contexts of care and end-of-life, and the role of space, images and artistic practices in understanding such experiences.

By connecting different fields of knowledge, the course seeks to deepen critical reflection on the conditions of relational life in contemporary society and on the forms of responsibility and care that emerge from them.

In the 2026 edition of the course “Ethics, Aesthetics and Phenomenology of Enclosure and Relational Proximity in Contemporary Society”, Anna Maria Maiolino’s exhibition  will enable the exploration of issues such as proximity, distance, fragility and transformation.

Full programme and further information, here.  

To apply, you must complete this Pre-Registration Form.

SPECIAL PRICE FOR MAAT FRIENDS
Regular: €412.50
Late: €450