Archipelago
More Seaweed, More Friends....
Archipelago: Art and Science Investigations in Times of Unstable Knowledge
Reflecting on the possible entry in the new geological epoch of the Anthropocene, this project proposes a distributed research collaboration between Switzerland, France, and Japan around issues of resilience, circularity, and carbon transition, with a focus on macro- and micro-systems, microbial worlds, and functional and evolutionary ecology. The 20-month Archipelago research program between art and science will kick off in Zurich with a series of public meetings and will organize knowledge-sharing sessions, laboratory visits, research trips, public events, and will culminate with creative retreats in Switzerland and France. A first driver for critical reflection on the entry into the Anthropocene will be to consider the role played by algae and cyanobacteria on our planet, in its past, present and future. A second driver will be to consider the implications of the debate and vote at the International Geological Congress in the summer of 2024 and the choice of the “Great Acceleration” of the 1950s as the start of the Anthropocene epoch. The arts are very accustomed to self-reflection, to questioning the methods used and to the plurality of ways of doing and knowing. This knowledge and practice are becoming increasingly valuable in an age of unstable knowledge.
Events 2024
20.3. - 13.7.24 More-than-Planet Exhibition
https://www.weareaia.ch/de/more-than-planet/
Opening on Tuesday, 19th of March 2024
March 20 to July 13, 2024
The transdisciplinary exhibition “More -Than – Planet: Visions for a Life in a New Geological Epoch?” addresses the proclamation of the new geological epoch known as the Anthropocene. Key markers for its onset include plutonium traces from atomic tests, carbon particles from fossil fuels, as well as nitrates and fertilizers – all traces of human activities from the 1950s, detected in sediments of the water column of the Lake Crawford. But the Anthropocene does not start solely with the so-called «Great Acceleration» that followed World War II. We can root the human impact at a geological level on our planetary system with the significant acceleration enabled by colonization from the 15th Century onwards.
Participating artists: Aerocene Foundation (INT), Antti Tenetz & Photo North (FI), Bureau d’Études (FR), Ewen Chardronnet (FR) & Maya Minder (CH), Felicia Honkasalo (FI), Julie Semoroz (CH-FR), Ludwig Berger (CH-DE), Magali Daniaux & Cédric Pigot (FR), Matilda Kenttä (SE), Miha Turšič (SI), Monica Ursina Jäger (CH-DE/UK), Nolan Oswald Dennis (ZA), The Laboratory Planet (INT), Satellite project by Ishita Chakraborty (CH-IN)
Curated by Ewen Chardronnet and Martina Huber Assistant Curators: Ana Victoria Bruno and Lea Elina Hofer Advisory board: Ravi Agarwal and Miha Turšič
7.05.-8.05.2024 D A CH Algae Summit
Schon seit mehreren Jahren finden in den D-A-CH-Ländern (Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz) regelmässig Veranstaltungen zur Vernetzung im Algenbereich statt. Seit seinem Entstehen im Jahr 2017 fördert das D-A-CH Algen-Netzwerk diese Vernetzung auch über die Landesgrenzen hinweg. 2021 fand der erste „D-A-CH Algen Summit“ in Wien statt. Der zweite Algen Summit wird im Frühsommer 2024 in Bern durchgeführt. Die gemeinsame Veranstaltung wird aktuelle Entwicklungen in Algenindustrie und -forschung aufzeigen und hat zum Ziel, die Vernetzung und den Erfahrungsaustausch zwischen Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Verwaltung in den DACH-Ländern zu fördern.
Special thanks to Mariluz from Agroscope!!!
File:Flyer Algen-Summit V17.pdf
5./6./7. Juni Lab-Visits in Switzerland
- 5. June - ZHAW, Wädenswil
- 6. June - Algatek, Lausanne
Evening: 18-21h Hackuarium, Ecublens https://www.hackuarium.ch
- 7. June - Agroscope, Bern
https://www.agroscope.admin.ch/
- 8. June - Artist Talk with Nicolas Maigre, disnovation.org
Location: We are AIA | Awareness in Art, Limmatstrasse 270 (Ebene A), 8005 Zürich https://www.weareaia.ch/guided-tour-with-the-research-collective-disnovation-org-i-8-june-2024/
- 9. June - Artist Talk with Maya Minder and Ewen Chardronnet, Homo Photosyntheticus
Location: We are AIA | Awareness in Art, Limmatstrasse 270 (Ebene A), 8005 Zürich https://www.weareaia.ch/guided-tour-with-maya-minder-and-ewen-chardronnet-i-9-june-2024/
21.+ 22. Juni; Archipelago Soil Convergence
Freitag 21.06. SOIL ASSAMBLY CONVERGENCE @ Schwarzcafe, LUMA
When: 14- 18h
What: Soil Assembly; Swiss edition
Where: Schwarzcafe, Löwenbräu Zürich, Limmatstrasse 270, 8005 Zürich
organized by AIA/More-than-Planet
https://soilassembly.net
14h : Exhibition Introduction to More-Than-Planet exhibition at "We Are AIA | Awareness in Art"
14:45h : Round table 1- Introduction to the Soil Assembly initiative at Luma Schwarzescafé, With Soil Assembly initiators: Vivek Vilasini (IN), Maya Minder (Hackteria, CH), Ewen Chardronnet (FR).
16:00h : Hands on soil workshop with Terrabiom.org
17:00h : Round table 2: Introduction to the Laboratory Planet newspaper
With Bureau d’études (FR), Ewen Chardronnet (FR), Helen Pritchard (UK/CH, Institute Experimental Design and Media Cultures, Basel FNHW), Federico Luisetti (IT, St Gallen University)
18:00h : Presentation of the Archipelago program supported by Pro Helvetia Synergies program. With Maya Minder (SGMK/Hackteria), Martina Huber (WE ARE AIA), Ewen Chardronnet (ART2M), Roland Fischer (Symbiont). Announcements for Day 2 and future AIA events.
Samstag 22.06 ARCHIPELAGO CONVERGENCE @ Bitwäscherei, ZW
9-11h Brunch Bruch
SGMK
12-18h WORKSHOP 1: past deep future
What: Walk, outskirts of Zurich
Who: Ronald Fischer
organized by SGMK/Hackteria/symbiont/Walking Festival of Sound
Meeting point: 12h Bitwäscherei Zurich, Neue Hard 12, 8005 Zürich (3rd floor)
On this walk we will go fossil hunting in the outskirts of Zürich. Buildig on a retreat based on new narratives / ancient strata 2023, the workshop organised by Roland Fischer together with the Walking Festival of Sound (Tim Shaw) will bring participants to fossil sites to reflect on traces of the past and deep geological timescales. Revolving around local fossils and temporal narratives of the past, the field trip aims to develop alternative perspectives on human local history, particularly in relation to geology. With a particular focus on the interactions between organic and inorganic matter, or how living things have always been intertwined with the mineral world, sometimes magnificently, sometimes catastrophically. Roland Fischer is an exhibition curator and science writer who lives and works in Basel and Courfaivre (JU). He studied interdisciplinary natural sciences at ETH Zürich. A festival director, blogger, lecturer and activist for art as research, he is behind various initiatives at the intersection of art and science, and is the founder of symbiont.space in Basel (since 2021).
11-19h WORKSHOP 2: ___LOFIA
Who:Giorgio Alloatti
Where: SGMK, Zürich Bitwäscherei, Neue Hard 12, 8005 Zürich
___LOFIA is a little sampler that uses a chip called ISD1820. The purpose of this circuit is voice recording and mangling of the sound in a lofi environment, due to its little amount of memory the sample recorded as a fixed size about 20 sec. The aim of the workshop is to hack the board and control the pitch with an analog sensor like a potentiometer or a light sensor or even a rain sensor. Then instead of using the built in buttons, we’ll use some nice arcade buttons and instead of the electret mic we’ll use a piezo or a standard jack or mini jack as input. During the open workshop you’ll learn how to build the instrument, how it works and how it can be used for creating strange loops with voice or sampling other sounds. This is the second in a series of workshops called Audio DIY Lab, a series dedicated to creating your own electronic and electroacoustic instruments and developing your own sound self-expression. These one- or two-day evening workshops are open to everyone, regardless of previous experience in electronic design, programming or soldering. For a sliding-scale participation fee of 20-50 euros, plus the cost of materials tailored to your chosen project, you will have the opportunity to build your own instrument from both a hardware and software perspective. Participants do not need to worry about tools because all basic ones will be provided. However, we encourage participants to bring their own tools or implements, or previous or ongoing projects.
19h Dinner by SGMK: evt. Stadionsbrache? BBQ und fire?
Dinner 19h: provided by Gasthaus Kitchenlab (Maya Minder)
"Algae is the new black" with some japanese korean fusion delights
(gluten free and vegan options are provided)
Concerts from 21h:
Simon Berz(Zurich/Berlin/New Orleans)
Drums and Soundart. Simon Berz is a drummer and sound artist. He is strongly engaged in the development of his own instruments and the possibilities of the drums with the use of electronics. In his research of sound, he makes use of analog electronics and feedbacks. Besides an electrified drum set, he also works intensely with stones, amplifying and distorting their natural sound electronically.
Moo17(Berlin)
M_oo (or Mo_o or even Moo_ and all its variations) also known as Giorgio Alloatti, founding member of the collective AudioHackLab and Yellows. He creates music by controlling voltages untangling in tangles of patch cables, devoted to creative coding made in puredata, orca and max/msp/gen. Born in Turin in 1984, he has been performing since 2007 treading across half of Europe. He lives by analogical expedients and digital substances. He loves to scream in small black boxes or naked circuits that he builds. His sound moves between drone, harsh noise, ambient, downtempo and breakbeat.
Kaldi Moss
Moss is an eco-sexual artist and composer whose practice spans spatial sound, interactive installation, making experimental concerts, video and browser based art. They are interested in sense perception, networked systems, intelligence, collaboration and the experience of beings that are not human. Moss is the current Artist-in-Residency at Pro Helvetia.
DJ STAHL
Christoph Stähli studied New Media (BA) and Fine Arts (MA) at the Universitiy of the Arts Zurich, ZHdK. His interest lies in the broad scientific field of media technologies and their applications in artist based practices. He developed content and software for the 3d LED display NOVA of ETH Zurich. As a member of the Swiss Mechatronic Art Society SGMK he's giving workshops and is co-organizer of the diy*-festival.
Omega Attraktor
Elements of electro and electronic body music form the sound of omega attraktor from Winterhur. Dealing with the interaction of analog and digital technology the live performances of omega attraktor are based on improvisation also working alot with DIY instruments.
Roles in the project
Art2M (France)
- General administration and coordination of the activities
- host a creative camp on Batz island, Roscoff France
- provide expertise, communication
- networking and mentoring
Multicellular Marine Models lab – CNRS - Sorbonne Université (France)
- Host lab visit in France at Roscoff Marine Station
- participate in lab(s) visit(s) in Switzerland
- provide expertise
- networking and mentoring
- participate in hybrid events
- participate in the Creative Camp on Batz island
Swiss Mechatronic Art Society (Switzerland)
- Host a creative camp in Switzerland, participate in the creative camp in France
- participate in lab(s) visit(s)
- provide expertise
- communication and mentoring
We Are Awareness In Art (Switzerland)
- Host an exhibition More-than-Planet
- launching event(s) to kick-off the program
- participate in lab(s) visit(s) and creative camp(s)
- provide expertise
- communication and mentoring
Hackteria (Switzerland)
- Participate in lab(s) visit(s) and creative camp(s)
- provide expertise
- communication
- networking and mentoring
Symbiont.Space (Switzerland)
- Participate in lab(s) visit(s) and creative camp(s)
- communication writing articles
- networking and mentoring
Teti Group (Switzerland)
- Participate in event(s)
- provide expertise, communication, networking
ZHAW Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (Switzerland)
- Host lab visit at ZHAW Grüental campus in Wädenswil
- participate in launching event(s) in Switzerland
- lab(s) visit(s) in France and creative camp(s)
- provide expertise, communication, networking and mentoring
Agroscope Microbial food systems - Swiss Confederation’s center of excellence for agricultural research (Switzerland)
- Host lab visit at Agroscope Liebefeld and/or Posieux campus
- participate in launching event(s) in Switzerland
- lab(s) visit(s) in France and creative camp(s)
- provide expertise, communication, networking and mentoring
FHNW critical Medialab, Institute Experimental Design and Media Cultures (Switzerland)
- Participate in launching event(s)
- provide expertise, communication, networking and mentoring
Algaltek (Switzerland)
- Host lab visit ar AgroCo St Aubin Fribourg
- participate in launching event(s) in Switzerland
- provide expertise, communication, networking and mentoring
Co-Fundings, but no direct fundings from ProHelvtia Side (non-eligible)
Kanazawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (Japan)
- Hosting and facilitating art & science research public events during the 20th anniversary exhibition “Ecology for Empathy: dancing with everything” of the museum
metaPhorest bioart and bioaesthetics platform at Waseda University (Japan)
- Participate in hybrid events, invitation to participate in creative camp(s) in Switzerland and France
- facilitate, communicate, provide expertise and networking in Tokyo
Bioclub Tokyo (Japan)
- Participate in hybrid events, invitation to participate in creative camp(s) in Switzerland and France, facilitate, communicate, provide expertise and networking in Tokyo
Sonda Studio (Japan), Toru Oyama and Partner
- Participate in creative camp(s) in Switzerland and France, facilitate research and provide expertise in Okinawa
Embassy of Switzerland in Japan
- Host, facilitate, communicate
- host events
- provide expertise and networking for expedition(s) involving labs visits and public events in Japan in 2024 and 2025
Swissnex in Japan
- Host exhibition in Japan in 2024 and 2025
Synergies - A Pro Helvetia Initiative
With Synergies the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia supports research-based and process-oriented programmes that foster exchange between art, science and technology involving organisations in Switzerland and across the world. Synergies offers support for international collaborations and encourages programmes which spark new approaches, methodologies and connect knowledge from different contexts. The open call was launched in the beginning of 2023 and closed in October of the same year. A transdisciplinary jury of experts has selected 11 projects whose promising collaborations will start in the next months.
https://prohelvetia.ch/en/whats-on/synergies-selected-projects-2024/
THANK YOU PRO HELVETIA AND ALL THE PARTNERS !