Field Study No. 1
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Project Description
Fieldstudio is an interdisciplinary arts and research platform who aim to integrate environmental consciousness into the artistic process. The goal for this project is to develop a model for working with ecological and social sustainability within a community through a research based and collaborative artistic process. Our main strategy is to use artistic methods combined with statistics as a way of mapping the region. Art becomes a tool to convey and embody the poetic phenomena of place.
Geographical Scope
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Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
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Description of the project
Summary
The extraction of raw materials is the basis of our industrial civilization. This has, often irreversible, consequences for ecology, biodiversity and cultural heritage. Often, the extent is difficult to grasp. In Norrland, where a large part of the Swedish natural resources are extracted, there is visceral evidence. Malmberget disappears piece by piece, Lilla Luleälven falls silent and the clear-cuttings are growing affecting life for the inhabitants as well as the environment. The expression of the industrial structures is sublime, but what role does the industrial wounds in the landscape play in people’s lives? Recently, industrial development has intensified in Norrland. The investments primarily focus on green industries such as Northvolt battery plant in Skellefteå and H2 Green Steel in Boden. How will these large scale developments affect the communities, the people and the culture?
This project is part of the initiative “Visioner I Norr” by the Swedish government, local municipalities and New European Bauhaus, with the aim to develop ideas for the future daily life of Boden and Luleå in the north of Sweden.
Fieldstudio is an interdisciplinary arts and research platform which aims to integrate environmental consciousness into the artistic process. The goal for this project is to develop a model for working with ecological and social sustainability within a community, through a research based and collaborative artistic process.
In Field Study No. 1, we will explore the identity of two cities and their shared surroundings. We will research environmental conditions, the technological megasystems and the interaction between rural and urban areas.
We will identify differences and common traits in collaboration with the community. We will investigate the cultural and environmental history of the region. This collective knowledge base will be the foundation for developing ideas on how to strengthen the community's sense
Key objectives for sustainability
One of the objectives with this project is to understand the environmental history of the region. This historic lens will be used to forecast future points of conflict or threats to the environment in an open-ended artistic process. The short term goal will be to explore how the industrial megastructures and the extraction of raw materials can be included in a sustainable and circular thinking about resources. Once fully developed the process model will function as a tool to build sustainable communities in other contexts.
Using artistic methods allows us to investigate environmental history from a juxtaposed perspective. By moving closer to the ground and the community we will immerse ourselves in new aspects of the place. For example, we will visualize nature's inherent and changing conditions by collecting samples of water, soil and soundscapes of the region.
The investigation of the present lays the foundation for the future. Our process is oriented towards asking new questions of how new industrial expansions can live in harmony with the people and nature. To widen the view of how to create sustainable urban as well as rural areas.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
A key part of this project is to strengthen the identity of the region. A core value of this process is to identify the aesthetic qualities of the industrial landscape and to explore how the identity can build upon those values and also safe guard that future developments will add to this value.
For Fieldstudio research and aesthetics go hand in hand. We strongly believe in the artistic process as an asset for a region that is undergoing a major societal shift. Not only for the cityscape but for the well-being of the city's residents and the continued positive development for the region.
By inviting the inhabitants into our artistic process, and collaborating to identify the unique aesthetics of their region, we aim to find the key to what will enhance the sense of identity for the inhabitants.
Key objectives for inclusion
An integral part of our model development is to explore different methods of community outreach, for example through social media and other digital tools. As we develop our method we will also test a number of different workshop formats.
Through our primary research we have found that a large portion of inhabitants of Boden and Luleå experience a lack of inclusion and equality. To further investigate challenges and opportunities in collaboration with the inhabitants will be at the core of our upcoming research. This includes revealing hidden or forgotten traces and personal experiences of the industrial landscape. This means exposing land use conflicts of the past as well as of today, ownership and appropriation. The industrial exploitation and the traditional culture of the indigenous population has often been in conflict regarding land use and environmental stewardship of the landscape and it’s resources for example.
As our team includes knowledge in statistics as well as facilitating workshops we want to include both quantitative and qualitative research. Using previous research about the needs of inhabitants as the foundation, and work to complement what we find interesting with our own methods.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
Our main objectives can only be reached by working with sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics. Our approach is focused on the industrial landscape and how people, industry and nature can co-exist. Including local inhabitants in our research and workshops is crucial for understanding the narrative of the region.
By sampling nature's inherent conditions we can look back at how industrial landscapes have shaped the environment. And by doing so have changed the aesthetics of the region. With a deeper knowledge of both the nature and the voices of the inhabitants we can give answers to how industry, nature and people can co-exist.
Using art and focusing on the aesthetic execution, we believe that we can help enhance the region. Looking at how people can feel pride about their belonging. The aesthetics creates an alternative route and solution to our objective. Building a stronger and genuine narrative about a developing region, where new sustainable industry is crucial for its future.
