Joachim Aagaard Friis

Joachim Aagaard Friis is a Research Fellow at the Department of Visual Arts and Drama at the University of Agder (UiA) in Norway. His academic work sits at the intersection of contemporary art practice, ecological theory, and curatorial studies, with a specific focus on the Anthropocene and sustainability.

Dr. Friis's research centers on exploring his own practice as an art curator with themes related to ecology, predominantly working with site-specific mediums of sculpture, performance, and installation. He investigates the pedagogical potentials of the curator to raise awareness around sustainability through more-than-human encounters and the ethical implications of this work. His theoretical framework incorporates affect theory, media studies, queer theory, and eco-aesthetics to analyze contemporary art and literature.

His recent publications reveal a consistent scholarly engagement with environmental humanities and new materialisms, particularly examining how curatorial practices can address ecological crises. His work demonstrates how artistic interventions can foster sustainable thinking through material-relational approaches and sensuous pedagogy.

Dr. Friis has curated various exhibitions for Agder Kunstsenter and Kunstpunkt Lista as part of his research project, bridging academic inquiry with practical applications in gallery spaces. His teaching experience includes courses on contemporary art concepts at UiA and Nordic literary history, poetry, and literature-media-technology courses at NTNU in Trondheim, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach across visual arts and literature.