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Carbon Synthesis
Carbon Synthesis Posted by Donna Franklin, Tracy Hill and Sarah Robinson | November 2024 It has been a couple of weeks since our residency in Kilpisjärvi came to an end on September 28th, 2024. For each of us, the experience has been unique, an opportunity to explore through slow and embodied experiences, reconnecting to ourselves, each other, and the Finnish landscape. Paying attention acknowledges that we have something to learn from intelligences other than our own. Listening, standing witness, creates an openness to the world in which the boundaries between us can dissolve in a raindrop.’ Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass   Carbon Synthesis evolved during 2020, our aim was to develop an ongoing creative project which responded to deep time and connections through carbon; to use our individual arts practices to reveal invisible narratives creating innovative ways of witnessing climate change. The global restrictions of 2020 created a need to re-evaluate our terms of engagement with the world, and the physical spaces we could explore became smaller. As the world held its breath, a unique moment in time manifested where virtual conversation and friendship became our new reality. Our original residency was put on hold until international travel became possible again but none of us imagined it would take quite so long. For the last 5 years our virtual creative responses have formed propositions which have created significant exchanges in ideas and challenged our personal practices. Ideas and approaches were formulated ready to take to Kilpisjärvi. Carbon synthesis explores and reveals invisible narratives and micro-environments which require us to feel and see in new ways. Indeed, spaces which resist being fully understood or contained without challenging our usual perception, imagination and human timescales.
Guest post | Donna Franklin | 31 October 2024
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Ars Bioarctica selections made for 2024–2025
16 transdisciplinary artists and artist groups have been selected fo Ars Bioarctica residency for 2024–2025.
3 June 2024
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Ice and soil as an open skin layer
In March 2024, Jean Danton carried out a field study on permafrost in an area of peat mounts (palsas) around Kilpisjärvi. He extracted soil and ice samplers while explored the ecological network in interaction with the permafrost thawing process. Permafrost is, in some way, a bioindicator of both atmospheric temperatures and social dynamics of the globalization; a trace of impermanence from a distant latitude. A geo-somatization that reveals a dispossession, an epochal swerve.
Guest post | Jean Danton Laffert | 17 April 2024
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Ars Bioarctica open call for 2024–2025
We are happy to announce our yearly open call for Ars Bioarctica residency program at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station. Deadline for applications is 15th February 2024.
15 January 2024
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Exploration of time scales: geologic, natural, human
Dale Rio spent two weeks in Ars Bioarctica residency at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in June 2023. She spent her time in residency documenting and working in collaboration with the landscape to create images unique to the region.
Guest post | Dale Rio | 18 December 2023
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The station activities
Till Bovermann had his Science Trails residency at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in August-September 2023. This is the last of three blog entries about his time in Kilpisjärvi.
Guest post | Till Bovermann | 3 December 2023
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The impacts
Till Bovermann had his Science Trails residency at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in August-September 2023. This is the second of three blog entries about his time in Kilpisjärvi.
Guest post | Till Bovermann | 23 November 2023
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The Revisitations
Till Bovermann had his Science Trails residency at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in August-September 2023. This text is about revisiting microworlds, the first of three blog entries about his time in Kilpisjärvi.
Guest post | Till Bovermann | 1 November 2023
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11 artists and practitioners selected for Ars Bioarctica residency
A diverse and multidisciplinary group of fellows selected for the Ars Bioarctica residency for 2023-2024.
25 September 2023
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Between Sferics and Rust. On the Erratic State of Being Grounded and Dissolved through Listening
Jacek Smolicki spent two weeks at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station within the North Escaping residency. During his stay, he engaged in a series of listening excursions, soundwalks and field recording sessions exploring past, present and future soundscapes of this unique environment.
Guest post | Jacek Smolicki | 5 September 2023
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Cybryonts and bipolar mosses at Kilpisjärvi
The Critical Garden Collective spent two weeks in residency at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station searching for bipolar mosses and working with hybrid creatures, named Cybryonts.
3 August 2023
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Maa: porosity, permeability, filtering, enmeshment, darkness, energy and communication
Aino Johansson spent three weeks in Ars Bioarctica residency working on her soil and forest related projects with chromatographies, butoh dance, forest mapping, activism and environmental education.
Guest post | Aino Johansson | 3 July 2023