FUTURE OF WATER

Call for proposals

Science Gallery at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, is
seeking proposals for an upcoming major exhibition and
series of workshops and events on the theme FUTURE OF WATER.

Call opens: Friday 17 June 2011

Call closes: Friday 15 July 2011

Exhibition duration: 20 October 2011 – 20 January 2012

See: http://www.sciencegallery.com/futureofwater

——————————————————————————–

Calling all armchair hydrologists, liquid artists, part-time
diviners, fluid technologists and steamy scientists! This
October Science Gallery asks ‘what is the future of water?’.
This theme will form the basis for a major exhibition and
series of events at the Science Gallery, to run from October
2011 till January 2012.

Water is a potentially all-encompassing theme – from the
amazing physical properties of water, to its destructive and
life-giving power in nature, and its role in both human
development and conflict. It flows through us, as blood,
sweat and tears. It is venerated, coveted, spoiled and
fought over. It has as many meanings and functions as it has
physical forms; we regularly encounter water as liquid,
solid and vapour. Water can be soothing, an instrument of
healing, accelerated through water cannon as a weapon, or
used to cut rock and metal. One billion people lack access
to it in its most valuable form, as clean drinking water.
Clean water is running out – and around the world it is used
as a weapon of power and a tool in political conflict.

What innovations might help us to acquire new sources of
water, or help us to conserve it? What is our relationship
to water? What will a water-scarce future look like? What
creative ways are there of envisaging this? With Dublin
facing likely water shortages in the coming decades, the
exhibition could help audiences to inform and involve
themselves in the complex global and local issues around
water, and the choices this city is likely to face in the
near future. How can the works on exhibition link the local
to the global?

The exhibition will include existing and proposed
innovations and inventions around water, artworks on the
theme of water, and artifacts that reveal the different ways
in which water is used and perceived of. The exhibition will
extend beyond the gallery through workshops, events and
off-site projects. Alongside artwork, designed objects and
documentary artifacts, FUTURE OF WATER will include special
live performances, innovative installations, unique physical
and mental experiences, high-profile talks, discussions and
debates, web-focused interactions, games and collaborative
experience.

We invite proposals that look at the cultural and social
aspects of water, at the relationship of first world to
developing world, at narratives of the future, designed
objects and systems for water, provocative inquiries into
water as a commodity versus a common good, water as energy,
‘virtual water’, and water in the city. Proposals might play
on the bodies of water in and around Dublin, as well as
internationally, and may make use of the distinctive
architecture of Science Gallery, for example its glass
façade onto Pearse Street. For images of Science Gallery’s
layout and architecture, please see
http://www.sciencegallery.com/hire

Science Gallery welcomes proposals for both existing and new
work from artists, designers, engineers, scientists and
everyone in between, from any country, in any and all media.

Submitted projects will be evaluated on criteria including:
relevance to the theme (FUTURE OF WATER), science and
technology interest, artistic interest, potential to engage
a broad public with the exhibition theme, track record of
the participants, costs, and ability to deliver the project.

Each project needs to delivered within a maximum budget of
up to €7,000, however a higher budget may be made available
in exceptional circumstances. Previously, many participating
artists have secured financial support from local arts and
government sources or other funding bodies. Science Gallery
is happy to help with letters of support if needed.

We are also looking for digital proposals. If your idea is a
web-based or mobile phone application, or can be reworked
digitally, then let us know.

Submissions must be received no later than Friday 15 July
2011 to be considered for inclusion. Science Gallery will
contact those selected for inclusion by 1 August 2011.

To submit your proposal and find more information please use
the form on the FUTURE OF WATER website at
http://www.sciencegallery.com/futureofwater

Please feel free to forward this e-mail and link to other
forums and individuals, and do please contact us at
ralph.borland@sciencegallery.com if you would like to
suggest projects or people for the exhibition.

FUTURE OF WATER at Science Gallery is part of a larger
3-year international project, StudioLab, funded under the
Framework 7 programme, with partners including Harvard
University’s Idea Translation Lab, Media Lab Prado, Ars
Electronica, the Royal College of Art, London and Le
Laboratoire, Paris.