Seminar/Conference
Agenda: The Natural State of the Art: 3 chapters on Art, Nature and Ecology. Chapter 2: Re-Use
In this edition of Agenda, the second one this spring, we will continue to explore the main topic, Nature and Art.
In the previous seminar we entered the woods to talk about bio art, ecology, technology and nature conservation.
This time we will step out of the woods, but still keep close to nature, and give insight on how one can be an agent on behalf of the nature and the environment, from aspects of research and development, to soft activism and Climate Futurism.
Nature has, as mentioned in the previous Agenda, had a shifting role in history and art history. But at all times, as far back as we know, there has been active souls, contributors and artists who hasn´t put themselves in the forground of the nature, but activily enclosed nature and the landscape as part of their practice and made it both their theme and material of work. And this is the idea that this Agenda will include and present, and not only how others work with artistic and scientific projects concerning nature and ecology, but also how we all can see ourselves an more than something in the foreground, and maybe start blending a bit more into the background.
In these complex times the Agenda seminars want to shed some light on some of the scientific and artistic projects, ideas and thoughts that are being produced in our time, some that wish to give guidance and address the feelings a lot of us encounter when dealing with these topics, existential fear, hope or wonder.
Program:
09:30-10:00: Coffee and tea
10:00-10:15: Welcome and introduction
10:15-11:00: Borgar Aamaas - CICERO
11:15-12:00: Eva Bakkeslett - Artist presentation
12:00-13:00: Lunch
13:00-13:45: Gitte Sætre & Frans Jacobi - Are You Ready?
13:45-14:00: Q&A
Borgar Aamaas
Borgar Aamaas is a scientist with a meteorology background. He is educated in meteorology and climate at UiO, from bachelor-phd. His bachelor was in phisics, astonomy and meteorology, with specialization within meteorology and oceanography. His masters was on carbon deposit on snow in Svalbard, “Elemental carbon in Svalbard snow from local sources and its impact on surface albedo.” He spent three years of his time as student at Universitetssenteret på Svalbard (UNIS) in Longyearbyen. During 2014-16 he took a Philosophiae doctor (Ph.d.) in geology, specialized in meterorology and oceanography at UiO. The title, and the theme, was “Developing, evaluating, and applying emission metrics for the assessment of the climate impact of transportation.”
Aamaas has been emplyed at CICERO since 2010. He was a research assistant his first 6 months, and the researcher 3 until march 2016. He is now senior researcher, and leader for the staff in the union Tekna. He is also Board Leader in the national science network Tekna Reseachers.
Eva Bakkeslett
Eva Bakkeslett is an artist, culture activist and curator. Through her work she convey connections between humans, nature and culture as one living organism. Communication between species, bacteria cultures and fermenting as process and metaphor is central in her projects and comes to life through socially engaging and including projects. Her work gives insight in poetic and perceptible processes that creates transformations where new perspectives are explored and materialized.
Eva runs a cultural farm with a residency and an AIR programme at Engeløya in Nordland, based on ecological thinking and acting. As a curator she emphasizes the connection between art and ecology, f.i through Gentle Actions at Kunstnernes Hus In 2010, Repair at Galleri ROM in 2016-17, Land Art Biennial at Kjerringøy in 2018 and in her latest project The Conference of the Birds.
Eva Bakkeslett has a MA in Arts & Ecology from Dartington College of Arts, England.
Are You Ready?
Are You Ready? is a hybrid series by Gitte Sætre & Frans Jacobi in a self-invented genre called Climate Futurism. It depicts aspects of climate and environmental challenges. First, there is a feeling of unrest among humans and non-humans; then there is an investigation; and finally, an outcome. The main character of Are You Ready?, The Living Unliving Surveillance Poet, is an unruly, ticklish dead tree resurrected from the waters below Ludwig Wittgenstein’s cottage in the deepest of the deepest fjords of Norway. After a lifetime of being infused by the logic and language developed by his philosophical mentor, the Poet starts his journey into the un-logical structures of the human world.
Gitte Sætre
(b. 1975)
Gitte Sætre’s oeuvre deals with current and relevant issues such as climate change, neoliberal ideological patterns, as well as cultural radicalism. Her body of work is characterized by the weight of contemporary society, yet opening room for humor and quiet reflection. Previous projects include Woman Cleaning (2014-2022), The Soups&Stories Project (2014-2017), Magic of Seven (2016) and The Green Hijab Movement (2014-2019).
Frans Jacobi
(b. 1960)
Frans Jacobi works with performance, film, and text. His art addresses today’s political crises, seen through a lens dark poetic humor. In 2015 he started the ongoing research-project Synsmaskinen and in 2017, he and Gitte Sætre initiated Green Hijab Movement. Jacobi is Professor of Time-based Art and Head of the Art Academy - Department of Contemporary Art, University of Bergen, Norway.
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