Cultural archetypes and ideas interweave with science and technology

Arts Catalyst Exhibition: cultural archetypes and ideas interweave with science and technology to create new shapes, visual forms and structures.

Two new commissions by Melanie Jackson and Revital Cohen exploring how our beliefs and myths interweave with contemporary science and technology to create new forms. John Hansard Gallery, Southampton.

As we develop the tools to manipulate and engineer new forms and systems of life, the exhibition considers our historical and contemporary entanglements with nature, technology and the economy, and how these relationships influence emergent forms in biological and synthetic matter, through new sculpture, installation and moving image works.

Tacita Dean remembering her friend JG Ballard and R Smithson's Spiral Jetty
Tacita Dean, JG Ballard and Robert Smithson

Just been reminded of this wonderful article by artist Tacita Dean remembering her friend JG Ballard and their passion of Robert Smithson’s ‘Spiral Jetty’.

Read it here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/27/tacita-dean-jg-ballard-art

 

A Room for London, a new perspective on the River Thames.

Just been listening to Jarvis Cocker’s BBC 6 Radio Sunday Service broadcast from A Room for London, a new perspective on the River Thames. Yet again a great commission by Artangel.

The one-bedroom installation, built by Living Architecture and designed by David Kohn Architects in collaboration with the artist Fiona Banner, will stay on top of the roof throughout 2012.

Check it out – www.aroomforlondon.co.uk

Picture this: you’re walking through a misty Scottish forest...

Picture this: You’re walking through a misty Scottish forest, trying to find that perfect viewing platform to get your Iphone out and Instagram a photo that will make your friends cry with envy. The ground is wet and, although beautiful, your vista is blocked by a thick covering of trees. You carry on, sure that you will find the perfect spot. Then, just round that final corner, your patience is rewarded…

Flow is a tidemill – a floating building on the River Tyne

About Flow
by Owl Project and Ed Carter
Electro-acoustic musical machinery powered by the River Tyne

Flow is a tidemill – a floating building on the River Tyne that generates its own power using a tidal waterwheel. The onboard instruments respond to the constantly changing environment of the river, generating sound and data.

http://www.flowmill.org/

Mystic River – wonderful article on L.A.'s waterways
Mystic river – wonderful article on LA waterways

A fantastic article – LA’s concrete storm drains conceal a living, breathing waterway that has rarely been explored – until now by Rory Carroll in yesterday’s Guardian newspaper.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/27/los-angeles-river-storm-drains

A scorching morning in the San Fernando valley and I am driving up and down Balboa Boulevard, parks and fields either side of the motorway, lost. The talking GPS on my dashboard has lapsed into silence, defeated by an arcane destination with no zip code. I spy a park attendant emptying a bin and pull over to ask directions. He eyes me, baffled. I wonder if he is deaf and repeat the question. He still looks confused. “Did you say river?” Yes, I reply. Where is the river? He shakes his head. “What river?”

Manifesta 9 – contemporary art and industrial mining heritage.
Manifesta 9 – contemporary art and industrial mining heritage.

This summer in Genk, Belgium Manifesta 9

For the first time in the history of Manifesta, the biennial takes place in one single venue. For Manifesta 9 the large-scale industrial complex of the former coal mine Waterschei in Genk has been chosen. Taking into consideration the significance of the former Belgian coal mining region as a locus for discussing both the geographical and imaginary aspects of industrial capitalism as a global phenomenon, Manifesta 9 will develop as a unique dialogue between art, history and social reflection.

River Runs - they certainly do - an amazing artists project.

River Runs – they certainly do – an amazing artists project.

Just missed this at Modern Art Oxford

URBONAS STUDIO: NOMEDA & GEDIMINAS URBONAS, TRACEY WARR, GIACOMO CASTAGNOLA

This month we welcome Nomeda & Gediminas Urbonas for a three-week artist residency in the Project Space. Nomeda and Gediminas are working with writer Tracey Warr and architect Giacomo Castagnola to turn the Project Space into a temporary River Research Centre.

The artists will invite visitors to explore the role that rivers play in defining our sense of individual and collective belonging, how we might imitate water birds, animals, plants and fish to adapt to an environment with rising water levels, and why and how water is important to us.

What is Emscherkunst? A fascinating waterways art project.

What is EMSCHERKUNST?

As a triennale until 2020, the international exhibition EMSCHERKUNST in the northern Ruhr area accompanies one of Europe’s largest reclamation projects – the conversion of the open sewage canal Emscher into a natural river. During the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010, the exhibition EMSCHERKUNST.2010 was the biggest art project in public space and fascinated 200.000 national and international visitors.

The next exhibition EMSCHERKUNST.2013 takes place from 22nd June 2013 until 6th October 2013, exhibition area will be the Emscher Island between Gelsenkirch en and Oberhausen as well as the Emscher Delta near Dinslaken/Duisburg where the river flows into the Rhine.