DARK ECOLOGY - FIRST EDITION FROM 9 TO 12 OCTOBER 2014
Kirkenes (NO) - Nikel (RU)- Zapolyarny (RU)
The first edition of the art and research project Dark Ecology will be held
between 9 and 12 October 2014 in the border zone between Norway and Russia,
with events scheduled in Kirkenes (NO), Nikel (RU) and Zapolyarny (RU).
Programme highlights include a keynote lecture by American philosopher Timothy
Morton, author of Ecology without Nature (2007) and Hyperobjects (2013),
several commissioned works, by sound artists Signe Lidén and Raviv Ganchrow,
artist/designer Femke Herregraven and photographer Marijn de Jong, and new
‘Secret Chamber’ concerts.
Dark Ecology is a three-year art, research and commissioning project, initiated
by the Dutch organisation Sonic Acts and Kirkenes-based curator Hilde Methi,
and in collaboration with Norwegian and Russian partners. Dark Ecology unfolds
through research, the creation of new artworks, and a public programme that
will be presented in the zone on both sides of the border in 2014, 2015 and
2016. The programme for 2014 includes lectures, presentations of newly
commissioned artworks, guided walks, a discursive programme, concert evenings,
and a workshop.
Dark Ecology is informed by the idea that ecology is ‘dark’ (as the American
theorist Timothy Morton has argued), because it invites – or demands – that we
think about our intimate interconnections with, for instance, iron ore,
snowflakes, plankton, or radiation… Ecology does not privilege the human, it is
not something beautiful, and it has no real use for the old concept of Nature.
What we now know about the impact of human beings on the planet has led to the
need to rethink the concepts of nature and ecology, and exactly how humans are
connected to the world. This rethinking occurs in philosophy as well as in the
arts.
Though these issues are relevant anywhere in the world, they are especially
pertinent in the Barents Region with its pristine nature, industrial pollution
and open-pit mining. Speculation on global warming fuels local economic growth,
as the prospects for both the exploitation of the oil and gas reserves below
the Barents Sea and the trade through the Northern Sea route are rising.
Disparate interests and ‘approaches’ from both sides of the border have to
negotiate. This interaction informs the Dark Ecology project, and is a starting
point to invite artists and theorists to develop new approaches and new works.
PRELIMINARY JOURNEY PROGRAMME
The journey starts on Thursday 9 October in Kirkenes with a symposium featuring
a keynote lecture by Timothy Morton, and several guided walks investigating
different aspects of Kirkenes. In the evening the first ‘Secret Chamber’
concert, curated by Ivan Zoloto and Anya Kuts from Petrozavodsk, will take
place at a secret location. It features Chikiss, one of the most versatile
artists on the Russian electro-indie scene, and slow ambient techno by Sergey
Suokas.
On Friday 10 October the programme crosses the border to Nikel. Different
aspects of Nikel, its history, industry, culture and environment are explored
through guided walks, followed by the second part of the symposium with,
amongst others, Dutch artist/designer Femke Herregraven presenting her latest
research commissioned for Dark Ecology.
Nikel and Zapolyarny are the locations for the programme on Saturday 11
October, which include a visit to the new site-specific work by the Norwegian
artist Signe Lidén. The symposium focuses on sound art and ‘dark acoustics’ and
includes artist presentations by amongst others Espen Sommer Eide, Raviv
Ganchrow, and Jana Winderen. The second ‘Secret Chamber’ concert has live
performances by Love Cult from Petrozavodsk, and ambient hip-hop all the way
from Komi by Mnogozmaal and TILMIL (more to be confirmed).
On Sunday 12 October Dark Ecology returns to Kirkenes with a first
work-in-progress presentation of the large-scale sound installation Long Wave
Synthesis by Raviv Ganchrow, commissioned by Dark Ecology, and a closing
keynote speech.
The trip is followed by a two-day Alternative Academy in Kirkenes on 13 and 14
October 2014: an intensive workshop on electronic music with Austrian sound
artist Franz Pomassl for aspiring, emerging and curious sound artists and
musicians from the border zone.
Anyone who is interested in participating in the journey or the alternative
academy can contact the organisation by e-mail:
darkecology[at]sonicacts[dot]com.
DARK ECOLOGY ONLINE PLATFORM
The results of the Dark Ecology explorations will be distributed in the Barents
Region and internationally. From September onwards an online platform will
offer documentation and reflection, through interviews, travel reports, videos,
photos and audio recordings.
PARTNERS
Dark Ecology is curated and produced by Sonic Acts and Norwegian curator Hilde
Methi in collaboration with the Russian partners Full of Nothing
(Petrozavodsk), Fridaymilk (Murmansk) and Roman Khoroshilov (Nikel). Dark
Ecology is generously funded by BarentsKult, Public Art Norway (KORO), Creative
Industries Fund NL, PNEK (Production Network for Electronic Art, Norway),
Mondriaan Fund and Finnmark County Municipality.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT
www.darkecology.net
Facebook:www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Ecology/1447812835491248
vk:www.vk.com/darkecology
www.sonicacts.com
darkecology[at]sonicacts[dot]com
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