Training in Philosophical Conversation

Participants: Navigators & Learning Team

Purpose: Introductory training for the navigators in holding philosophical conversations with visitors.

Holding philosophical conversations with staff around their launch exhibition.

Navigators exploring a Conrad Shawcross piece in the opening exhibition.

In preparation for the opening of the gallery’s first exhibition, I delivered training to the gallery guides - known as “Navigators”.

We spent time in the gallery, exploring the artworks and the spaces. stepping back at times to discuss how our assumptions impact our thinking. Placing philosophical inquiry and conversation at the heart of their exchanges with visitors, (rather than serving mainly as sources of information on the artworks).

The Navigators now run philosophising tours as well as devising and running workshops around the themes of each exhibition.