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this pad is used to write the abstract for the Iterations project 2016
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text as send by pw to iterations list 20/04/16
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I don't know where this is going
Concept
The setup in this space proposes a playful earth itinerary simulator. (route planner) Not a smooth well functioning one, such as is proposed by Open Street Map or G$€gle maps, but one that tries to index the stormy weathers, troubles, uncertenties that are usually absent from these tools. Try calculating your travel route from Syria to a EU country and you will find that have to take a 'ferry' at some point. But if getting a visa is not an option for you, this 'ferry' might turn out to be a rubber boat. One might encounter closed borders, mobile surveillance tools, ngo's and local support from wellwilling folks, overpaid anonymous ferrymen that guarentee nothing, lack of resources …. The line that is plotted out for you might offer a dangerous lifeline ....
Possible elements in the space
*The space of imal is filled with large objects. These objects represent limitations, rules, parameters, obstacles, … that play a role when moving from A to B. For example: there can be a real gate present; it could represent a border or a frontier. There can be chairs, that represent hostels. There can be found objects (clothes, boxes, furniture etc) abstract forms, etc etc that represent .. nature (mountains) laws, weather conditions, hostility, burocracy, hunger, …..
*Next to the objects, there are physical lines. Textile, rope, …, and ephemeral tracrs should be possible (breadcrumbs, water drops, dust traces, chalklines , …. ) copper/cables that represent antennas , ..
*Visitors are invited to move through the space by moving the objects (dots) around; and create paths by putting long elements (lines) that are provided to mark their trace.
*The floor and the objects are captured from above with camera's / or kinect (??), and projected over a geographical map (of europe ?) which is projected on the wall. When you move through the space, your datadouble that you see in the projection moves over the map.
*When you move an object in the space, you put a limitation, or a connection of some sort on the map.
*The representations of the objects are described in a legenda that is visible in the space.
*Participation ? During the two weeks of residency, we invite different people to help create the legenda of objects. What does one encounter on the way from the country of departure to the country one wishes to arrive in ? This can be a series of videotaped interviews, that we show in the installation. So the legenda is not invented by us, but proposed by a larger group (of for example:) refugees, workers without papers that are in the street. People who have experience with travelling, digital networks, bordercrossing, fleeing your country, finding your way. *We can imagine that the legenda can also be adapted during the exhibition. (write it on blackboard, or a simple typing interface on a screen. )
*For whom is this? Everyone who is thinking about the topic of mass moving (humans, capital, goods) connected to the problem of international wars. Media art audience, people who are working with war refugees, asylumseekers, workmigrants.
*Roles for visitors ? 'looking' from a distance at the installation' is not an option. Being in the space allways means participating in the simulation. Visitors can: - add new instructions, - alternate legenda descriptions - play/perform a trajectory
*…...... ?
Context
People move and migrate because they are pushed by conditions. Some people flee from life threatening situations, from the wars in Syria, the insecurities in North and West Africa. Others move across borders as part of their daily live, be it for reasons of leasure or as part of their work; our capitalist society is defining mobility as a value creating asset. People are treated as goods, capital moves to Tax Heavens and transatlantic data cables traffic data that is more valueable than many countries BNP.
When bodies seemingly desintegrate to data, when rules and directives move borders and obstructions faster then people can walk from A to B, when media creates sentiments and stigmatisations, there is need for some experimenting and exchange on a human scale.
Like many other cities Brussels directly experiences the results of meager european geopolitics in reaction to the current increase in people moving from dangerous unliveable areas. it is becomes clear that the union is not prepared for emergencies.
Also artists, art organisations and institutes seek to react. Two recent examples: KASK school of arts in Gent is organising summer courses open design exclusively for refugee students; the conference / exhibition Coding Decoding the border organised in La Cambre school of Architecture and the Université Libre de Bruxelles searched to understand and redefine the notion of borders in the current context.
Are we prepared ? The group of artists that are working on this installation feels it is not an option to not respond to the current situation, even when the subject matter at hand is not easy. It is humanly socially politically sensitive matter.
This installation is should also be read as an exercise in creating sensitivity, in creating new and relevant vocabulary, an exercise in imagining new openings, in visualising flux and turbulation, ...
Please feel invited to react, engage with the proposal and contribute to it.
title ideas:
I don't know where this is going (this would be a good titel)AA
Bumpy simulator
Imagined itinerary
Playing the border
Connecting the dots
Lining up
....
Motivation / background
A major reason why people move is because they need to. They Many flee conditions that are life threatening. The wars in Syria, the insecurities in North and West Africa. Lack of life supporting resources, or a desire for more resources, persuit of happiness ...
Our capitalist society is defining mobility as a value creating asset, people are equaled to goods, capital moves to Tax Heavens and Transatlantic data cables host the exchange of data that is representing more value than many countries BNP.
When bodies seemingly desintegrate to data, when rules and directives move borders and obstructions faster then people can walk from A to B, when media creates sentiments and stigmatisations, there is need for some experimenting and exchange with simple tools and on a human scale.
Like many other cities Brussels directly experiences the results of meager european geopolitics in reaction to the current increase in people moving from dangerous unliveable areas. it is becomes clear that the union is not prepared for emergencies.
Artists, art organisations and institutes seek to react.
Examples in our direct surroundings: courses for refugees in open design are organised by the KASK school for the arts in Gent, and the conference and exhibition Coding Decoding the border that was recently organised in La Cambre school of Architecture and the Université Libre de Bruxelles searched to understand and redefine the notion of borders in the current context.
Are we prepared ?
This is precarious content but the group of artists that are working on this installation feels not touching upon it it is not an option. See this proposal as an exercise, an experiment in creating new vocabulary, in imagining openings, in visualising flux and turbulation, ...
Please feel invited to react, engage with the proposal and contribute to it.
The space proposes a (playful?) down to earth itinerary simulator.
Not a smooth well functioning one, such as is proposed by Open Street Map or G$€gle maps, but one that tries to index the stormy weathers, troubles, uncertenties that are usually absent from these tools. Calculate your walking route from Syria to any EU country and you will have to take a 'ferry' at some point. Well for the less fortunate that might mean obtaining a Visum first. If this is not an option because getting one is absolute impossible, this 'ferry' then might turn out to be a rubber boat. One might encounter closed borders, mobile surveillance tools, ngo's and local support from wellwilling folks, overpaid anonymous ferrymen that guarentee nothing but offer a dangerous lifeline ....
description installation / space
* elements in the space
The space is filled with large objects. These objects represent limitations, rules, parameters that play a role in moving from A to B. For example: there can be a real gate; it represents a gate or frontier. There can be chairs, they represent hostels. There can be found objects (clothes, boxes, furniture elements etc) that represent .. nature (mountains) laws, weather conditions, hostility.
Next to the objects, there are physical lines.
(textile, rope, or maybe crayon, or temporary traces (breadcrumbs, water, dust, chalk)
copper/cables that represent antennas
The groundfloor and the objects are captured with camera's / kinect (??), and projected on a geographical map (of europe ?) which is projected on the wall.
Visitors are invited to move through the space by moving the objects (dots) around;
and create paths by putting long elements that we provide to mark their thrace.
When you move through the space, your databodie moves over the map.
When you move an object in the space, you put a limitation of some sort on the map.
The representations of the objects are described in a legenda that is visible in the space. (not sure we need legenda, need to be pedagogical, explicatif, we could also strive to have it all direct as concrete experiences)AA
* participation ?
During the two weeks of residency, we invite different people to help think of the legenda of objects. What does one encounter on the way from the country you depart from to the country you wish to arrive in ? this can be a series of videotaped interviews, that we show as part of the installation. So the legenda is not invented only by us, but by among others refugees, workers without papers that are in the street. People who have experience with travelling, digital networks, bordercrossing, fleeing your country, finding your way.
We can imagine that the legenda can also be adapted during the exhibition. (write it on blackboard, or a simple typing interface on a screen.
* for whom is this?
Everyone who is thinking about the topic of mass moving (humans, capital, goods) connected to the problem of international wars. Media art audience, people who are working with war refugees, asylumseekers, workmigrants.
* roles for visitors ?
'looking at the installation' is not optional. Being in the space means participating in the simulation. Visitors can:
- add new instructions,
- alternate legenda descriptions
- play/perform a trajectory
jobs and work division
- making an interface: map with projected objects and routes
- making objects, floormap, building dots and lines
- organising and filming interviews with people
- making a framework for writing legenda
open questions
- are there ephemeral (meaning: temporary) traces as well?
- is there stil an option to work with the metaphor of the radio = imal understood as radio, transmitter and receiver
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how do obstacles form the line/ the path
can be objects - lets make an agenda, what the object represents
dont call it game, there is nothing to win/lose - do you always have to win or loose in games? I don't - there doesn't have to be a path either, nor a beginning and an end AA
call it set of rules
-> no audience, but everybody is participant
shall be easy, fake agenda
representations for: coast guard, rubber boat
form: inclusion for a lot of different people; for example: moderation from the distance
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imal understood as radio, transmitter and receiver
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data bodies physical bodies
meta data
people vs goods
data traces
1 part: experimenting space, where everything can be changeable
concrete roles for "us"
keywords:
dots
lines
connections / separations
from A to B
borders frontiers
fleeing travel migrate crossing passing deplacement
refuge receive reception hosting
data - bodies
references:
history of lines - tim ingold
liquid traces (homerus)
lot of relevant work (but we're not making a group expo)
forensic architecture: https://vimeo.com/89790770
practical: how do we deal with including Geraldine yes or not in the announcements ?
we need to buy des fils barbelés, des grands rouleaux ... mais ne serait-ce pas esthétiser une situation insupportable? (AA)
j'aime beaucoup cette video https://vimeo.com/163826337 Displaced - ce n'est pas très direct, mais parle de la condition ...(AA)