A beatiful and memorable encounter between cows and humans was celebrated on 28th August in Tammenpää milk farm in western coast of Finland, Angelniemi. Seven Eyeshire cows: Narcis, Urania, Andorra, Tooticki, Äppel, Fauna and Eddy, were the honoured guests, invited to have a lunch with some 20 human guests, spending a marvellous afternoon together around the same table.
The ingredients of the meal were peas, rye and apples. Photo: Sami Perttilä
The concept for this meal of cows and humans is by Kultivator artist group, that has “married” the art and agriculture and work their “agri-artistic” projects from Ooland island next to Swedish coast. Angelniemi based Kia and Matts Boijer hosted the Lunch with Cows in their organic farm, Mikko Kivelä cooked delicious soup of fresh peas, baked bread, with an apple desert. We drunk milk.
Since almost ten thousand years now, we live very close to each other, and has indeed affected each others lives and beings a great deal. Our relation has been practical and very close physical, but we have not yet really grown into exchanging a lot of thoughts, or even trying to meet at an intellectual level. This informal lunch meeting intends to be a small start of a more mature and interesting way of being together. We have no prepared speakers, no translators or list of topics that must be discussed, but! Questions about our future relation, and sustainable survival may come up! KULTIVATOR
Cows did not hurry away from the table after the feast, they stayed calmly next to the table after finishing their plates. We were told, that next day, at the same time, they we waiting to eat together with us by the table. This makes me happy, the desire to spend some time together has been reciprocal – and I am waiting for the next chance to make this happen.
Mats Boijer feeding his cows. Photo: Ulla Taipale
The lunch was documented by Petra Kallio, Sami Perttilä, Andrea Vanuchhi and Jarmo Markkanen in paintings, photographs and video. The framework of the event is Halikonlahti Green Art -project, an initiative of artist and curator Tuula Nikulainen and Sunny Future association. The exhibition, called Food Chains, will be opened at Salo Art Museum next Friday, 9th September. It is curated by Tuula Nikulainen and Ulla Taipale. More information about the exhibition here.
Hope you enjoy seeing the video – and feel free to rethink your own relationship with the cows – or others that you did not have a meal with before!
Antti Laitinen sailing towards the Estonian coast on his bark boat Photo: Juuso Westerlund
The ‘Expedition to the Baltic Sea’ is a cross-disciplinary art project to observe and experience the natural phenomena of the Baltic Sea. Expedition works are realised through collaborations between artists, scientists and different cultural agencies and will be exhibited as part of the European Capital of Culture Turku2011 programme. The project began in autumn 2009 with an open call to Finnish and Estonian artists and creators to present proposals for new works that should include an expedition to the Baltic Sea. The call produced 70 proposals. Five projects were commissioned by a committee of art and science professionals.
The exhibition is open from 28th May to 31st August. The venues are in five different places in Turku area, starting from Aura River and ending to the Ruissalo Island.
The audience is encouraged to do their own expedition using leisurely methods of transport, such as walking, bicycles, canoes or a riverboat.
Four new artworks in exhibition
Finnish visual artist Antti Laitinen and Rescue Boat Baltic Herring crew managed in building two experimental boats, with the idea to explore the Baltic Sea area by sailing. In case of Antti, the principal objective was to reach Estonia by sea by a gigant, selfmade Bark Boat. Antti gathered together so much bark of pine trees, fallen on the ground, that he managed to build a 3,7 meter-long boat out of them. The project culminated last August to the landing of artist in Estonian coast, after a 20 -hour long sail from Porkkalanniemi, crossin the Gulf of Finland. The model for the gigant Bark Boat comes from small boats, traditionally sculpt of bark by children. The Bark Boat is exhibited in Wäinö Aaltonen art museum in Turku.
The Rescue Boat Baltic Herring crew were busy in building of 8,5 -meter-long vessel made out “waste” materials, mostly donated by different supporters in Tampere and Turku region. The boat was taken to Hakkenpää port by Turku and rebuilt there again. The August 2010 artists Teemu Takatalo and Tommi Taipale were sailing around the Archipelago Sea together with several guests participating the agenda of the vessel; artists, scientists and thinkers. Audiovisual documentation of the sea adventures are installed in two sea containers in front of Forum Marinum centre. Third container will exhibit reflections from Gulf of Finland by artist Richard Thompson Coon. See the video:
Mia Mäkelä, author of Green Matters project spent a residence period first in Seili Island, Turku University Archipelago Investigation Centre and then in Ouraluoto, Merikarvia archipelago. Her work investigates new manners to rescue the eutrophicated Baltic Sea, encouraging citizens in foraging the excessive green algae and working it to textile format. In her video trailer she explains the project. Green Matters is shown in a greenhouse in Turku University Botanical Garden.
Hanna Haaslahti & Marianne Decoster-Taivalkoski has been exploring the underwater sonic scenery of Turku surroundings using hydrophones. The public will be able to listen real-time audio compositions from two Sonic Seascape Terraces, situated in Koroinen, nearby Halistenkoski rapid and in Ruissalo Island Park.
Marianne Decoster-Taivalkoski listens sounds from hydrophone photo: Hanna Haaslahti
The dance performance Vol.atil.it.y in october 2011
Vol.atil.it.y dance performance related explorations by Tomi Paasonen and Tiago da Cruz started in January 2011, in the middle of icy Archipelago Sea. The artists were lucky to be able to experiment great variety of divergent winter phenomena related with different stages of water. After this white break of urban life Tomi and Tiago had a session in Turku University Department or Biomedicine and could peek to the microscopic scale of water icying and melting processes (photo). To follow a blog written by Tiago da Cruz, enter here. In the beginning of June the artists will continue their expedition by the open sea – in Tvärminne Zoological Station of Helsinki University and Aranda research vessel by Syke. They are supported also by Kone Foundation that will offer the group facilities and residency for practicing the dance piece in August in Saaren Kartano. Vol.atil.it.y is a co-production of Paa, Capsula and Barker-theatre.
Tiago da Cruz and Tomi Paasonen microscoping in Turku University. Photo:Ulla Taipale
The exhibition will be opened in Turku on 28th May, 2011, presenting four different approaches to the sea by the expedition artists. The dance performance Vol.at.ilit.y is a joint production with Barker Theatre and will be presented six times from 13th to 30th of October. The exhibition is free and dance performance tickets cost 13€ and 10€ (children, students).
Turku University Archipelago Sea Research Centre and Botanical Garden, Forum Marinum Centre, Wäinö Aaltonen art museum, Lumo Centre in Koroinen, Centre for music&technology /Sibelius Academy and ProNatMat-project and BalticSeaNow.info-project by Turku Politechnic.
We thank also:
Langh Ship Oy, Genelec Oy, Porkkalan Meripelastajat, Triin Männik/Tallinn2011, Merikarvian kunta, Kivikangas Oy, Foiltek Oy, Ympäristötaiteen Säätiö, Rautasoini Oy, Turun Lukko Oy, T:mi Turun Tynnyri ja Säkki, Tampereen Palolaitos, Esko Puusti, Nakolinnan Rauta Oy, Ruissalon Telakka, Koukkujärven jättenkäsittelylaitos, Hakkenpään lauttasatama, Turun Museokeskus, Hartela Oy, ssBore, Aurajokisäätiö, Ruissalon Kansanpuiston säätiö, Lightpress Oy, Turun Ympäristökeskus, Merireitit.fi, Vanhan Tammen Kahvila, Kahvila Promenade.
During 2009-10 Curated Expedition to the Baltic Sea -project main organizer was Finnish Bioart Society and since the year 2011 it is Capsula. Curating and coordination by Ulla Taipale and Merja Markkula.
A “GOOD” mini-series by Ed Morris on the cultural happenings surrounding COP15:
“I wonder what it would have been like had the museums employed the same resources to do something more radical, such as give the entire space over to one or two artists capable of meaningful transformation, or have Erroll Morris put together a single series of messages from the art world to the people deciding our fate in the Bella Center, or simply shut off all the lights and let people cogitate that: “No more culture, only nature, from now on people.”
Or maybe this just isn’t the right time for the museums. The curators and framers were just doing their job. It’s a big conference, they have to do a big show. But, of course, that was precisely the problem. Meanwhile, I am noticing more and more of these little stickers and messages indicating that inaction might really, truly have its consequences.”
The ‘Herbologies/Foraging Networks’ programme of events, focused in Helsinki (Finland) and Kurzeme region of Latvia, explores the cultural traditions and knowledge of herbs, edible and medicinal plants, within the contemporary context of online networks, open information-sharing, biological and hydroponic technologies. See the entire programme.
The traditions of finding and knowing about wild food in the local Nordic environment are slipping away from the current generation. How can one attract their attention: With books, online maps, workshops, mobile-guided tours, open-source information or DNA code? Or learn how to grow them yourself, over the dark winter months? The Pixelache Festival events introduce the different meeting points between the three collaborating partners, include presentations by international artists and Finnish botanical experts; workshops sharing that knowledge with the public in Botanical Garden of Helsinki; a round-table discussion about foraging in the urban context; a manifestation of the ‘WindowFarms’ project by Britta Riley and Rebecca Bray(US) that will be built and exhibited in the Takaikkuna of Kiasma, the Museum of contemporary art of Helsinki.
Following, in a pre-midsummer expedition to rural Rucava in Kurzeme, Western Latvia, SERDE Interdisciplinary Art Group will lead fieldwork to learn about the cultural heritage of Balts using wild plants, and create documents for the younger ‘digital native’ generation. These events are organised as a collaboration between Andrew Paterson (SCO/FI), Ulla Taipale/Capsula (FI/ES) and Signe Pucena/SERDE (LV). The project is supported by KulturKontakt Nord, AVEK, and Austrian Embassy in Helsinki. The Botanical Garden of Helsinki University is a collaborating and incubating the Windowfarms plants in their greenhouses.
Finnish 12 years old Alex Marttunen has won the first prize in See The Bigger Picture photography competition, launched by National Geographic. The picture of a crab, carrying it´s new house was taken in Thailand.
Capsula takes part to the second edition of Global Ecoforum, a meeting point of public and private sector and NGO´s, taking place on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th October in Barcelona. The first day is celebrated in Torre Agbar and the second in Espai Bonnemaison.
Yesterday, spanish artist MariCarmenMªMahedero occupaid a piece of urban soil, denominated as “zona verde” (=green zone) by the catalonian urban regulations and “painted” it green. MariCarmen and Raquel Rennó are invited to talk about their perspective about the urban space and residues on Tuesday 27the October at 15.45 pm in the presentation called Art, thought and green citizenship.
In the following text MariCarmenMªMahedero explains the work (sorry in spanish only):
ZONAS VERDES / MCarmen GªMahedero
Hora y lugar: 27 de Octubre, 14-15 horas, Espai Bonnemaison, proyección en auditorio
Ironía y juego son los puntos de partida del trabajo planteado por MCarmen GªMahedero. Jugar con el espacio, con las palabras y con el entorno en que se ubica la “area preferente. zona verde”
Zonas verdes plantea un espacio público, la calle, como algo realmente común a todos: el que tiene coche y el que no. La “área preferente. zona verde” son áreas urbanas destinadas al aparcamiento de vehículos, creadas para aligerar el tránsito interno en la ciudad y combatir la contaminación. En principio beneficia a los vecinos del barrio que son los “abonados” (no olvidemos que es un servicio de pago) al que el resto de usuarios “no preferentes” tiene acceso por un máximo de 2h a 2,54 €/h. Sin embargo, según urbanismo, “zona verde” son las áreas metropolitanas destinadas a parques y jardines de obligada construcción cada cierto número de habitantes por metro cuadrado.
La OMS recomienda que las ciudades dispongan, como mínimo, de diez a quince metros cuadrados de áreas verdes por habitante. Las zonas verdes y los espacios libres constituyen un sistema en la ordenación urbanística y son indispensables para proteger y mejorar la calidad de vida y conseguir el bienestar urbano
A raíz del aumento de plazas de parking con categoría de “area preferente. zona verde” MCarmen GªMahedero subraya el hecho de utilizar las mismas dos palabras zona verde, para definir dos realidades muy diferentes, la existente: áreas urbanas destinadas al aparcamiento de vehículos y, la declarada por urbanismo: áreas metropolitanas destinadas a parques y jardines de obligada construcción cada cierto número de habitantes por metro cuadrado. Asfalto, alquitrán y pintura luminiscente; ¿zona verde?
Bajo esta perspectiva, la artista ocupará durante varias horas la superficie de un vehículo, 15m2 de parking, con césped, registrando todo lo que ocurra en dicho tiempo y quedando totalmente expuesta a cualquier tipo de intervención por parte de urbanismo.
Raquel Rennó will present her investigation about“Waste materials used as informational and innovational potential”, which aims to comprehend the generation and usage modes of residues in urban spaces through the relations among language systems, understood as cultural elements.
The different manner in which informational and residual objects can be appropriated requires an intense ability of adaptation as well as the creation of a new language system. The appropriation of information, spaces and objects that appear randomly is related to the adaptability of an individual or group, although this adaptability is sometimes the result of an emergency and extreme deprivation.
MCarmen García Mahedero (Badajoz, 1980)
Desde que obtuvo su licenciatura en Bellas Artes en 2003, ha participado en exposiciones individuales y colectivas, encuentros de artistas europeos y festivales artísticos en España, Portugal, Polonia y Austria. Ha realizado proyectos artísticos centrados en las relaciones que mantenemos con la naturaleza gracias a becas como “Ayudas a la creación Francisco Zurbarán” de la Junta de Extremadura, con la que edita el libro Pintando Naturaleza, y “beca para Talleres Internacionales de Paisajismo Blanca” (Blanca, Murcia 2009). Participó en la primera edición de Global EcoForum con una intervención artística llamada “En la ciudad”, realizada en el patio de Espai Bonnemaison el octubre 2008.
Raquel Rennó (Brazil, 1972)
Digital art researcher at CNPQ (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development, Brazil), member of the Institut Català D´Antropologia (ICA, Barcelona) and the Scientific Comitee of FILE (Festival Internacional de Linguagem Eletrônica, Brazil). Holds a PhD in Communication and Semiotics. Has been working since 2001 in digital art projects with artists from Spain and France and presented pieces at ZKM, ACM Multimedia, BIACS (Bienal de Arte Contemporaneo de Sevilla), Matadero Madrid among other art centres. Has published a book in 2006 intitled “Do Mármore ao Vidro – mercados públicos e supermercados, curva e reta sobre a cidade” analising the urban space as a medium and has presented papers and projects at UCSD (University of California, San Diego), Plymouth University, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Sussex University. Currently is part of ZZZINC, a cultural association for cultural innovation and research in Barcelona, Spain.
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This cross-disciplinary Curated Expedition to the Baltic Sea invites Finnish and Estonian artists to study and to marvel at the Baltic Sea, its natural phenomena and their personal relationship to the changing environs. Project proposals will be accepted until 21 December 2009. The project will be part of Turku’s programme for the European Capital of Culture year in 2011.
The planning and realization of the project are in the hands of Capsula and Bioart Society Finland.
Poikkitaiteellinen Tutkimusmatka Itämerellä kutsuu Suomen ja Viron taiteen tekijöitä ihmettelemään ja tutkimaan Itämerta, siihen liittyviä luonnonilmiöitä ja omaa suhdettaan muuttuvaan mereen. Taidetta ja tiedettä yhdistäviä projektiehdotuksia otetaan vastaan 21. joulukuuta saakka. Haun tuloksena valitut taideprojektit toteutetaan vuonna 2010 ja esitetään Turku2011-kulttuuripääkaupunkivuoden ohjelmassa.
Det tvärkonstnärliga projektet Forskningsresa på Östersjön bjuder in konstnärer från Finland och Estland för att förundras över och utforska Östersjön och dess naturfenomen samt sitt eget förhållande till ett hav i förändring. Projektförslag tas emot fram till den 21 december. Projektet är en del av programmet i Europas kulturhuvudstad Åbo år 2011.
Erialadevaheline Uurimisreis Läänemerel kutsub Soome ja Eesti kunstiinimesi imetlema ja uurima Läänemerd, sellega seotud loodusnähtusi ja oma isiklikku suhet muutuva merega. Kunsti ja teadust ühendavate projektide taotlusi võetakse vastu kuni 21. detsembrini. Konkursi tulemusel välja valitud kunstiprojektid teostatakse 2010. aastal ning neid tutvustatakse Turu 2011. aasta kultuuripealinna programmi raames.
Projektide eest vastutavad Capsula ja Suomen biotaiteen seura ry.
CAPSULA (art-science-nature) 