Underwater Interception of Biotweaking in Aquatocene
Nomination
aqua_forensic illuminates the invisible anthropogenic pharmaceutical pollutants—residues of human consumption. The project combines art/science/citizen science in a “hunt for a monster” and opens the discussion about our solidarity and empathy with waters beyond human perception. The project is presented as an installation, workshop, and public discussion with the intention to create new narratives. The installation represents the research of invisible chemical pollutants (mood controllers, antibiotics, antimycotics, painkillers, hormone pills etc.) and their impact on water habitats. Research was conducted at a residency in 2018 at the Danube river (Linz, AT) and the Adriatic Sea (Dubrovnik, HR). The vast complexity of the water ecosystems, which cover most of the planet, is still a mystery. With pollution we change the oceans inside out—influencing the life of the interconnected ecosystem. It is the result of global socio-technological, (geo)political, and economic usage of the world’s waters. aqua_forensic is a voyage into the relationship between the microbial seas and humans who are aquaforming the water habitats all around the planet. The question is: How do the oceans experience our impact?
Credits:
With support from: Ars Electronica within the EMAP/EMARE project, UR Institute (HR), Projekt Atol Institute (SI), Čistoća Dubrovnik, Sektor Institute (SI), The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia. Co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
Special thanks to: Miha Godec, Tanja Minarik, Martina Brković, Antonia Merčep, Lovro Martinović, Veronika Liebl, Jessica Galirow, Uroš Veber, Annick Bureaud, Slavko Glamočanin, team of nature reserve Lokrum, Eleonore team, UR Institute team
Robertina Šebjanič (SI) is an internationally exhibited and awarded artist. Her research-based work deals with the cultural, (bio)political, and ecological realities of aquatic environments. With her projects she tackles the philosophical questions at the intersection of art, technology and science.
Gjino Šutić (HR) is a biotechnologist, post-modern intermedia artist, innovator, and educator, and the founder and director of Universal Research Institute & Gen0 Industries. He conducts research in experimental biotechnology, bioelectronics & ecological engineering, postmodern new media art and hybrid art.