Call for professional collaborators<\/p>\n
FIELD_NOTES – Cultivating Ground<\/p>\n
Kilpisj\u00e4rvi Biological Station in Kilpisj\u00e4rvi\/ Lapland\/ Finland.<\/p>\n
26. September – 2. October 2011<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Deadline 30th of June 2011<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Organized by the Finnish Bioart Society in the context of the Ars<\/p>\n
Bioarctica project together with the Kilpisj\u00e4rvi Biological Station.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
” Field_Notes – Cultivating Grounds” is a week long field laboratory for<\/p>\n
theory and practice on art&science work at the Kilpisj\u00e4rvi Biological<\/p>\n
Station of the University of Helsinki in Lapland. Five working groups,<\/p>\n
each hosted by an expert (Oron Catts, Marta de Menezes, Anu Osva, Tapio<\/p>\n
Makela and Terike Haapoja) together with a team of four, will develop,<\/p>\n
test and evaluate specific artistic approaches based on the interplay of<\/p>\n
art&science. The outcome of Field_Notes will result in a publication<\/p>\n
published by the Finnish Bioart Society in 2012.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We warmly welcome artists, scientists and practitioners to participate<\/p>\n
and contribute to the development of the field.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“Cultivating Ground” refers to the intention of Field_Notes to develop<\/p>\n
and strengthen art&science practice with a specific focus on the<\/p>\n
locality of Kilpisj\u00e4rvi. The local nature and ecology, as well as the<\/p>\n
scientific environment and infrastructure of the Kilpisj\u00e4rvi Biological<\/p>\n
Station will act as a catalyst for the field work carried out.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Field work is an activity referring to the collection of raw data.<\/p>\n
Fieldwork is something what one does locally on the field and about the<\/p>\n
field. It is a form of practice which cannot be done elsewhere. However<\/p>\n
it is not opposite of theoretical work, but a crucial component of it.<\/p>\n
One could say that the fieldwork keeps one close to the research topic.<\/p>\n
A very similar type of practice is inherent in the arts. This is<\/p>\n
specifically apparent with art forms that aim at creating awareness,<\/p>\n
mobilizing the public, and working locally with people in their<\/p>\n
environment. In these kinds of practices the artistic research,<\/p>\n
production and implementation are happening in the field, close to the<\/p>\n
topics and to the public the artist wants to reach.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Practitioners, in both art and science, repeatedly argue that their<\/p>\n
disciplines loose touch with the actual research subject or topic while<\/p>\n
the focus is directed on lab work or gallery presentation. Field_Notes<\/p>\n
aims to investigate and point out the importance of field work in<\/p>\n
art&science. The fields where Field_Notes will be carried out<\/p>\n
specifically are the subarctic nature, ecology and landscape, the lab,<\/p>\n
the workshop, the study, the infosphere and the Field_Notes working<\/p>\n
groups as such.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Groups, hosts and fields:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
* Exploring the biological milieu – in search of substrates at the<\/p>\n
sub-Arctic – hosted by Oron Catts<\/p>\n
– in the sub-Arctic nature, in the lab and in the study<\/p>\n
There is a growing realisation among biologist that the substrate plays<\/p>\n
an important role in biological processes such as cell differentiation<\/p>\n
and development. Some argue that the Extracellular matrix (ECM) and the<\/p>\n
milieu are more significant than DNA in the development and processes of<\/p>\n
complex organisms. This is a major shift from the reductionist<\/p>\n
privileging of the database (the genome) towards a more complex<\/p>\n
application of context as a major driver in engaging with our<\/p>\n
understanding of life. We will collect materials form Kilpisj\u00e4rvi and to<\/p>\n
try and transform them into different types of substrates\/biomaterials<\/p>\n
for tissue growth, as an opening for a broader exploration concerning<\/p>\n
the cultural importance of the biological milieu.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
* Body\/ Nature relationship – hosted by Marta de Menezes<\/p>\n
– in the sub-Arctic nature, in the lab and in the study<\/p>\n
The Body\/Nature connection refers to nature as a body, something akin to<\/p>\n
an organism, but also to the body, our body as a sensor, part of nature<\/p>\n
and immersed in it: an interface with the rest of nature connecting us,<\/p>\n
linking us and transforming our relation to it. This relation, this<\/p>\n
communication is part of what defines us as humans, as animals and as<\/p>\n
natural. This group will try to explore the possibilities of<\/p>\n
manipulating life, nature and our own nature to express awareness and<\/p>\n
concepts close to the idea of nature’s identity and our own in present<\/p>\n
times.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
* Arctic Waters – hosted by Anu Osva<\/p>\n
– in the sub-Arctic nature, in the lab and in the study<\/p>\n
Kilpisj\u00e4rvi is an important site for research on Arctic freshwater<\/p>\n
ecosystems. During the last few years also Finnish artists have been<\/p>\n
involved with water ecosystem research in Kilpisj\u00e4rvi, with a focus on<\/p>\n
phytoplankton and water fleas. The group will focus on the topic of<\/p>\n
Arctic waters through artistic, anthropological, ecological,<\/p>\n
philosophical, geophysical and other relevant tools. It will also<\/p>\n
reflect and process previously collected raw data, experiences and<\/p>\n
workshop methodologies achieved during the Arctic Waters workshop held<\/p>\n
earlier this summer. Special attention will be given to collaborative<\/p>\n
artist and scientist lead field work in nature.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
* Politics and affect of environmental computing – hosted by Tapio<\/p>\n
M\u00e4kel\u00e4<\/p>\n
– in the workshop, sub-Arctic nature and amongst data sets.<\/p>\n
Politics and affect of environmental computing looks at how researchers<\/p>\n
and artists work with environmental data in the field and how it is post<\/p>\n
produced to info graphics as well as into affective interfaces. What<\/p>\n
kind of a sense and sensibility informs the data gatherer that connects<\/p>\n
the information with a living environment? How can such contextual and<\/p>\n
tacit experience be carried over alongside with the data? Artists,<\/p>\n
activists and researchers are invited to bring along different kits for<\/p>\n
sensing environmental data, yet more importantly, to engage in a field<\/p>\n
and file note-taking experience of writing a mind map around how to make<\/p>\n
data something to be felt. Is there perhaps a way in which affect of<\/p>\n
environmental data may also become more political, an agent for change?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
* Laboratory Life – hosted by Terike Haapoja<\/p>\n
– amongst the working groups and in the study<\/p>\n
The laboratory life group does research on all the other groups. The<\/p>\n
group will disguise itself in the form of anthropologists in order to<\/p>\n
look at how art&science projects on the field are created. The aim is to<\/p>\n
critically look at the methods and practices of the field and to see<\/p>\n
whether there are ethical or aesthetic questions specific to local<\/p>\n
practices. The group uses the tools of ecocritisism, philosophy of<\/p>\n
science, art history, interviews and documentation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
During one week the groups will organize themselves in working groups,<\/p>\n
think tanks and workshops. They will carry out their work in the related<\/p>\n
field environment as well as have common activities of lectures,<\/p>\n
presentations and feedback sessions. Expected results include abstracts,<\/p>\n
code, collaborations, data, documentation, future workshops, hardware,<\/p>\n
ideas, knowledge, photos, presentations, prototypes, skills, sounds,<\/p>\n
projects, videos etc. The languages used are Finnish and English<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n