S u b l i m e S y n a e s t h e s i a 2 . 0 @ K-U-K PopOpp & Folldal Flerbrukshus
- Tom Teulon & Trude Bekk
‘Sublime Synaesthesia’ is a collection of virtual narratives which explore our relationship with sublime nature through the use of new digital technologies. The project seeks to expand our understanding of environment to include a multitude of diverse overlapping ecosystems functioning outside of anthropocentric perceptions of place.
Artists In Residence Folldal
Folldal municipality, together with other contributors, operates a scheme for artist residence in a large apartment with several work rooms. The apartment is located in a worker's residence adjacent to Folldal Mines (over 800 m.a.s.l.). The stay is self-managed, with a desire for interaction between the artist and the village. Through Air Folldal we organised an exhibition in Folldal Flerbrukshus with a presentation focusing on our work process. And held a photogrammetry workshop for secondary school students, with an insight into world building and VR.
Photo credit: Margrethe Otnes - Folldalsportalen
Photo credit: Helle Lie Jakobsen
This chapter concerns growth in high altitude environments and the unique challenges faced in these places. This exhibition presents the beginnings of a collection of works which grew out of a 2 week investigative residency in Folldal in May/June 2022. We arrived hoping to document a spring bloom which never came, but nevertheless we dutifully spent our days lying on our stomachs between the boulders and patches of snow, mingling with the micro-communities of plant and fungal life we found there. Such environments are often perceived as barren or even hostile because so little grows over just a few centimeters tall, with a slight shift in perspective however one is able to glimpse a world teeming with activity, not just surviving but thriving!
The core of the work focuses on lichen colonies, though small in stature, the ecological impact of this symbiotic life form cannot be understated. Lichen are the pioneers of the mountainside, who venture out to colonize bare rock. Breaking down this seemingly impregnable surface, releasing nutrients and creating the soil which paves the way for greater floral diversity.
Using macro photography, UV light, photogrammetry and procedurally generated growth patterns we aim to highlight and amplify the otherworldly characteristics of some of the spectacular species we commonly encounter in the mountains.
Supported by. &
© 2020 Trude Bekk
Sublime Synaesthesia 2.0 @PopOpp & Folldal
2022
