Blossoming and benevolence in art and research: celebrating the gaps in intercultural communication

This article proposes that gaps in intercultural communication should not necessarily be bridged but can also be celebrated, reflecting on Derrida’s concept of ‘unconditional hospitality’. It introduces the concepts of blossoming and benevolence as possible tools useful in doing so. It outlines the development of these concepts through two of my own projects as an artist and researcher during which they became practical and key elements. It then discusses how these experiences and the tools I developed may be transferable and useful to other art and research practices.