The Place of Others: Popularizing Science through Art in Brazil

Abstract My artistic research-action, “Eu sou uma árvore” “I am a tree” (2019), performs the manipulation of images of various trees of the world leading to the appearance of living beings within them. For Indigenous peoples, trees are relatives, treated with respect and harmony. This article discusses the value of popularizing Indigenous knowledge by offering an overview of Indigenous debates related to higher education in Brazil. This analysis is part of an overarching study of what I call the fourth moment of Indigenous history. My aim is to emphasize the importance of interdisciplinarity, crossings, and the rise of counter-narratives in different fields of artistic-cultural practice and scientific research. After discussing the place of others in Brazilian higher education, I discuss my research at the Museum-Lab of Art, Science and Technology to discuss the dissemination of scientific knowledge in ways accessible to all.