November 20–December 9, 2020
Merimiehenkatu 36 C
FI-00150 Helsinki
Finland
Both book and exhibition were born as a reaction to the current fragile state of our relations with nature—an ongoing rupture bringing us to the threshold of climate crises. By concentrating our focal point on the importance of nature and our co-inhabitants we wish to raise awareness and empathy towards our shared environment.
Cooking for the Apocalypse – Interspecies relations in time of crisis
The exhibition explores interspecies relations through the intermediation of art and technology with works of 16 international artists.
In this age of crisis and increased consumerism, which accelerated the rift in the ancient relationship between man and nature, we ask whether high anxiety or apathy the only coping strategies we are left with against the growing number of climatic catastrophes? Is lamenting or alerting to this ongoing tragedy all that contemporary art has to offer? Does the cultural industry serve as a covert culprit in this crisis economy?
Instead of staring into the emptiness of separation and the void formed by current and future extinctions, this exhibition space creates a peer into the complex multi-species relations and daring us not to divert our gaze. It is a practice of rethinking the asymmetric hierarchical attitude. A new path of empathy is offered as the key perspective to reflect upon ethical and emotional aspects of species survival and the deep climatic connection between human, plant and animal wellbeing as a collective experience and shared responsibility.
Participating artists:
AGF / Mika Elo / Jack Faber / Ewa Górzna & Katarzyna Miron / Kalle Hamm / Kholods Hawash / Jakob Johannsen / Marte Kiessling / Guy Königstein / Hanna Mattes / Hertog Nadler / Alexander Semenov / Mia Seppälä / Ran Slavin / Pavel Wolberg
Open Tuesday–Sunday 11am–6pm, free entry
Read more about the exhibition
Eco Noir: A companion for Precarious Times
This book accompanying the exhibition is a textual and visual collaborative exploration of interspecies relations in time of crisis, featuring the original artworks and writings of 34 prominent artists and researchers. Eco Noir suggests new readings into the fragile and complex ways in which we inhabit and share our environment with other species through engaging meeting points formed by the tension and correlation between texts and artworks. In that, it acts as a cartography for cultural and artistic strategies.
Eco Noir shows how relations with other species correspond with ancient tales and rumours while offering new ways in which humans and animals can join to create a contemporary common story.
Symposium
Eco Noir: A Dark Day for a Brighter Future
December 9, 2020
Following the exhibition will be held a symposium focusing on how we can create a deeper connection based on equality with other species, having a wider understanding of our potential role in the betterment of the environment we live in, and thus gaining a better understanding and connection with each other.
Keynote speakers, including Dr. Amir Vudka and the artist duo Hertog Nadler, will address issues of ethics in making artworks with animals, the forced perception of other species as enemies through art and media, and much more. The event includes the official launching of the book Eco Noir: A companion for Precarious Times.
Uniarts Helsinki
The University of the Arts Helsinki provides the highest level of education in music, fine arts, theatre and dance in Finland. Uniarts Helsinki is an international forerunner in education and research in the field of arts and strengthens the role of art as a force that reforms society. Established in 2013, Uniarts Helsinki consists of the Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy.
