Beyond the Visible: Mapping Darkness Together
Beyond the Visible: Mapping Darkness Together
Beyond the Visible: Mapping Darkness Together
An embodied exploration of uncertainty, trust, and futures
An embodied exploration of uncertainty, trust, and futures
An embodied exploration of uncertainty, trust, and futures
Facilitated by: Morgan Bath & Juan Fabuel
Location: Jardim da Estrela, Lisbon
Date: May 3, 2025
Workshop took place as part of Future Days as an official side project
Facilitated by: Morgan Bath & Juan Fabuel
Location: Jardim da Estrela, Lisbon
Date: May 3, 2025
Workshop took place as part of Future Days as an official side project
Facilitated by: Morgan Bath & Juan Fabuel
Location: Jardim da Estrela, Lisbon
Date: May 3, 2025
Workshop took place as part of Future Days as an official side project
About the Project
About the Project
About the Project
We often speak of dark times and uncertain futures, but rarely do we pause to experience darkness—truly feel it—as something more than absence, more than fear. “Mapping Darkness” invited participants into the night to ask: What if darkness wasn’t something to overcome, but something to learn from?
This workshop was one of seven official side projects featured during Future Days—a multi-day gathering of thinkers, artists, and practitioners exploring the edges of possibility through experiential work. Set in the gardens of Jardim da Estrela, Mapping Darkness brought together a group of curious explorers to reframe darkness as a space of potential.
We walked together—first alone, then in community—seeking out places where darkness felt alive. Through movement, mapping, and shared reflection, we asked how darkness might transform our ideas of care, creativity, trust, and futures.
As the night unfolded, participants marked their own dark spaces on a shared map (see image), each location offering a story, a sensation, or a subtle shift in awareness. Initially, most described darkness in terms of fear, the unknown, or discomfort. But as we explored—physically and emotionally—a quiet transformation began. Darkness became associated with connection, familiarity, and even beauty.
We often speak of dark times and uncertain futures, but rarely do we pause to experience darkness—truly feel it—as something more than absence, more than fear. “Mapping Darkness” invited participants into the night to ask: What if darkness wasn’t something to overcome, but something to learn from?
This workshop was one of seven official side projects featured during Future Days—a multi-day gathering of thinkers, artists, and practitioners exploring the edges of possibility through experiential work. Set in the gardens of Jardim da Estrela, Mapping Darkness brought together a group of curious explorers to reframe darkness as a space of potential.
We often speak of dark times and uncertain futures, but rarely do we pause to experience darkness—truly feel it—as something more than absence, more than fear. “Mapping Darkness” invited participants into the night to ask: What if darkness wasn’t something to overcome, but something to learn from?
This workshop was one of seven official side projects featured during Future Days—a multi-day gathering of thinkers, artists, and practitioners exploring the edges of possibility through experiential work. Set in the gardens of Jardim da Estrela, Mapping Darkness brought together a group of curious explorers to reframe darkness as a space of potential.
Photo by Juan Fabuel
Photo by Juan Fabuel
Photo by Juan Fabuel
Together, we reimagined darkness not as the opposite of light, but as a companion to it. A space where new possibilities can be sensed before they are seen.
We walked together—first alone, then in community—seeking out places where darkness felt alive. Through movement, mapping, and shared reflection, we asked how darkness might transform our ideas of care, creativity, trust, and futures.
As the night unfolded, participants marked their own dark spaces on a shared map (see image), each location offering a story, a sensation, or a subtle shift in awareness. Initially, most described darkness in terms of fear, the unknown, or discomfort. But as we explored—physically and emotionally—a quiet transformation began. Darkness became associated with connection, familiarity, and even beauty.
Together, we reimagined darkness not as the opposite of light, but as a companion to it. A space where new possibilities can be sensed before they are seen.
We walked together—first alone, then in community—seeking out places where darkness felt alive. Through movement, mapping, and shared reflection, we asked how darkness might transform our ideas of care, creativity, trust, and futures.
As the night unfolded, participants marked their own dark spaces on a shared map (see image), each location offering a story, a sensation, or a subtle shift in awareness. Initially, most described darkness in terms of fear, the unknown, or discomfort. But as we explored—physically and emotionally—a quiet transformation began. Darkness became associated with connection, familiarity, and even beauty.
We walked together—first alone, then in community—seeking out places where darkness felt alive. Through movement, mapping, and shared reflection, we asked how darkness might transform our ideas of care, creativity, trust, and futures.Together, we reimagined darkness not as the opposite of light, but as a companion to it. A space where new possibilities can be sensed before they are seen.
Why We Gathered
Why We Gathered
Why We Gathered
This workshop grew from a conversation between myself and Juan Fabuel about how futures work might move beyond theory into embodied practice. We were drawn to the idea of darkness as method—a way of engaging with uncertainty that embraces not-knowing as a generative space. Rather than resisting the dark, what if we met it with curiosity?
Darkness has long been framed in opposition to light, tied to fear, threat, and danger. But darkness is also where seeds germinate. Where night animals thrive. Where the stars become visible.
This workshop grew from a conversation between myself and Juan Fabuel about how futures work might move beyond theory into embodied practice. We were drawn to the idea of darkness as method—a way of engaging with uncertainty that embraces not-knowing as a generative space. Rather than resisting the dark, what if we met it with curiosity?
Darkness has long been framed in opposition to light, tied to fear, threat, and danger. But darkness is also where seeds germinate. Where night animals thrive. Where the stars become visible.
This workshop grew from a conversation between myself and Juan Fabuel about how futures work might move beyond theory into embodied practice. We were drawn to the idea of darkness as method—a way of engaging with uncertainty that embraces not-knowing as a generative space. Rather than resisting the dark, what if we met it with curiosity?
Darkness has long been framed in opposition to light, tied to fear, threat, and danger. But darkness is also where seeds germinate. Where night animals thrive. Where the stars become visible.
What Emerged
What Emerged
What Emerged
As the evening unfolded, a quiet transformation took place. As we marked our collective map we saw how ideas of darkness began to take on new meanings. What had started as isolated encounters with fear or disorientation gradually revealed connections: between people, places, and perceptions.
Conversations deepened. The act of walking in the dark, first uncertain, then intentional, brought about a sense of intimacy and presence that was difficult to name but impossible to ignore.
By the end, the idea of darkness had expanded. It no longer stood only for danger or the unknown. It had come to represent a space of possibility. A soft, generative place where we might begin to imagine otherwise; together.
As the evening unfolded, a quiet transformation took place. As we marked our collective map we saw how ideas of darkness began to take on new meanings. What had started as isolated encounters with fear or disorientation gradually revealed connections: between people, places, and perceptions.
Conversations deepened. The act of walking in the dark, first uncertain, then intentional, brought about a sense of intimacy and presence that was difficult to name but impossible to ignore.
By the end, the idea of darkness had expanded. It no longer stood only for danger or the unknown. It had come to represent a space of possibility. A soft, generative place where we might begin to imagine otherwise; together.
As the evening unfolded, a quiet transformation took place. As we marked our collective map we saw how ideas of darkness began to take on new meanings. What had started as isolated encounters with fear or disorientation gradually revealed connections: between people, places, and perceptions.
Conversations deepened. The act of walking in the dark, first uncertain, then intentional, brought about a sense of intimacy and presence that was difficult to name but impossible to ignore.
By the end, the idea of darkness had expanded. It no longer stood only for danger or the unknown. It had come to represent a space of possibility. A soft, generative place where we might begin to imagine otherwise; together.