On May 13, 2024, Reid Hall hosted the second annual Nuit de l’Imagination, contemplating the theme of boredom following last year’s event centered on climate. Co-organized by the Columbia Global Paris Center and Institute for Ideas and Imagination, this event delved into the depths of boredom, not as a negative emotion, but as essential to creative and intellectual processes.
The Grande Salle Ginsberg-LeClerc was transformed for one night into a coastal sound-bath by musicians Ursula Kwong-Brown and Daniel Erdberg. Attendees were invited to wear individual head-sets to experience Driftscape, an electro-acoustic performance inspired by the Sea Ranch utopian settlement in California. Listen to our Atelier episode with Ursula and Danny to learn more about the role of boredom in their creative process.
Prior to Ursula and Danny’s performance, Institut Pasteur researcher Germano Cecere and Georg Braune performed an improvisation entitled Worm’s-Eye View, inspired by the life of the worms they work with in their lab. Blending drums and piano, they explored the duality of boredom and fun in a worm’s existence. This year, the Nuit de l’Imagination extended into daytime with a conference on boredom featuring contributions from the Sciences Po Maison des Arts et de la Création and the Columbia Alliance Program.
In the afternoon, workshops aimed at children and teens encouraged them to reconnect with boredom as a catalyst for creativity. Ulrika Dezé, founder of Yogamini, led a yoga and meditation class for children aged five and up, fostering mindfulness and calm. Charlotte Force conducted a fairy tale writing workshop, inviting young minds to weave stories from the fabric of their imagination. Tapisseries de la Bûcherie offered a needlepoint workshop, teaching the intricate art of "tapisserie au point," while the REcyclerie guided participants in making eco-friendly "tawashi" scrubbing sponges and planting microgreens, blending creativity with sustainability.
The event concluded with a reception featuring sensory food experiences curated by Bonne Femme, providing a fitting end to an evening dedicated to exploring the beauty of boredom.
Keep reading about this year’s events:
