Natural Building courses in 2014

Do you do a lot of sculptural work, installations, land art or outdoor work? Ever thought of using natural building techniques as part of your creative work? Well, if you're interested, here is your chance to learn some of the techniques you can use!

Natural Building Collective
Peter McIntosh will be hosting a series of courses at Magic Mountains, near Barrydale. These will include:

21 – 23 March: Compost toilet workshop
10 – 18 May: Natural building course: materials and techniques
9 – 11 August: Pizza oven workshop
18 – 25 October: Natural building course: materials and techniques

For more information email naturalbuildingcollective@gmail.com

CALL OUT: Articles for 4th edition of Plastik

http://art-science.univ-paris1.fr/

Art and biodiversity: sustainable art?

Interest in ecology and sustainable development is unprecedented, as is to the increasing concern overshadowing society´s well-being. With the news of massive deforestation and the scarcity of water resources, we are continually reminded of how animal and vegetable species are endangered. It´s clear that the need to respect the environment is shared by all but that natural resources are being exhausted through conflict of interest and contradictory action. As a result living and endangered organisms are affected by a kind of universal heritage value, as if representing the memory of an uncertain future. 

Since the ´60s, artists have testified to, and denounced, through their work, the ravages that human activity has brought on a planetary scale. With art interventions that have taken place in nature or have been an actual part of a landscape, the concepts of the environment, of site and territory, have become more visible in the art world. By demonstrating the physical properties of the material, and of the living, such artworks – whether perennial or ephemeral, in natural or developed spaces – actively call for the spectator's participation, alternately as observer, walker, or explorer in a double game with the attitude of the artist him/herself. To what extent have the new contours of spatialization in an artwork and art´s modus operandi in general contributed to the change in the way we look at the natural world? What impact has it all had on increasing the general public´s awareness, and of protecting our environment?

Between the esthetic and ethics, art and the science of the living, the 4th edition of Plastik will present an evaluation of the perimeters of action and the meaning of artistic practice dealing with the subject of safeguarding biodiversity. The ties between environmental issues and artistic creation will be tackled from the point of view of the real as well as the symbolic scope of such practices, between the implementation of an ecological, imaginary approach, and social commitment. We will try to understand the propositions revealed by artworks which entertain a relationship to the balance at play between the living and the extinction of species. What kind of response do such artworks develop in relation to this new challenge, launched by scientists, as being of the greatest interest for humanity? Is it ecological art or ecologically-made art? Can one talk of eco-gestures in art? Through their experience as researchers, artists, critics, or exhibition curators, the authors will gather together a collection of testimonials and studies, questioning the procedures in order to understand how the preservation of biodiversity has become the subject of today`s most significative artworks. 

We´ll be asking: 

• Are researchers, and artists, in the face of environmental challenges: the new crisis managers?
• Notions of creation and destruction, safeguarding and conservation
• Reevaluating nature, landscape, and territory
• Eco-art, the green esthetic, neo-naturalism, sustainable art?
• Collaborative environmental intervention
• Animal ethics in artistic practice, abolitionism and welfarism
• The eco design approach, and individual commitment?
• Implementing art and eco-gestures : exploration-fiction, surveying, plantations, collecting, ethnography, gentle intervention
• Museums, institutions and their ecological responsibilities 

[Plastik] est la revue de l´Institut ACTE 

CNRS - Université de Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Admission criteria for articles: 

Authors are invited to propose texts of between 3 000 and 10 000 worlds. Contributions can contain up to 10 images with a resolution of 72 dpi. Images should be sent separately, with mention of their place, title and source. The same goes for pictures and other illustrations under format image. The first page must contain: the title of the article, the name of the author(s), their affiliation, email and postal address, a summary of 10 to 15 lines and a list of keywords characterizing the contents of the article.

Deadline for articles: 

Please send your articles by email before June 15, 2013.

Rédaction [Plastik]

plastik.art.science@gmail.com

Institut ACTE - CNRS

Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne

47 rue des Bergers 75015 Paris - France

Olga Kisseleva 

olga.kisseleva@univ-paris1.fr

Publishing with fewer environmental Perils?

A bit of a focus on Green Design
written by visual artist Janet Botes

While doing some online research for my studies in 2006 I came across Celery Design Collaborative, based in Berkeley in the US. On a recent search for this Design company I found that 5 years later they're still going strong. With updated branding and some outputs or "eco tools" from their efforts in creating and supporting sustainable design they're a great example or role model for other design and publishing companies. One of the outputs is a Sustainability Score Card that gives a good overview of what options to favor when choosing paper, plastic, ink and binding methods for your next creative or publishing project. Check it out at celerydesign.com//images/uploads/Celery_SustainScore_11.08_.pdf. Looking at paper, they have also created an ecological Guide to Paper. Go and read more about paper processes and how to choose your paper at www.celerydesign.com/ecological-guide-to-paper

Another output is a book published in 2009, Green Graphic Design, by Brian Dougherty. Check it out at www.greengraphicdesign.net. According to Jade-Snow Carroll of the Design Observer, it is a "great resource for designers wanting to practice their craft sustainably".

On the same track there is a fresh, new and local company to keep an eye on... Paper People Publishing Collective, based in Johannesburg. As a book arts network and a publishing house they encourage all their authors to print on recycled materials, and are developing solutions for hand-printed and hand-bound books from Studio 6 at the Newtown Artist-Run Centre.

As a general guideline, when choosing your paper, try choose paper that are approved by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), tree-free paper or recycled paper.

When choosing your recycled paper also consider the percentage of waste used, and the amount of chlorine used to whiten or brighten the post consumer waste paper used in the production of the paper. And how about hemp paper? From what I hear things are looking good for the possibility of having industrial hemp legalized in our country! Industrial hemp is not from the same strain of plants that can be smoked, and as hemp grows much quicker and with less water than cotton it is a great raw material for use in the clothing industry, building industry and, of course, for paper. Another new option is stone paper, have a look at the post we published about Stone Paper: greenyourart.blogspot.com/2013/02/stone-paper-is-writing-on-wall.html

When looking at ink, suggest to your printers that they use vegetable-based inks and low-VOC solvents. And from what I've read, don’t use a printer that uses isopropyl alcohol. Generally, as with all materials and products, try to avoid inks with toxic chemicals.

When delivering and packaging your books, brochures and other designed materials for your clients, don’t wrap them in plastic, but pack them in re-usable, recycled or re-used packages. Also tell buyers to recycle or re-use all packaging and containers as far as possible.

Together all the small changes and effort we make makes a big difference.

Bodo City, by Stan Aneto

"The people of bodo, a community in Ogoni Land of Niger Delta Nigeria, have been on the spotlight of many environmental discourse. I found out why, when I paid a visit myself. My findings were politically sensitive and emotional. As a poet and film maker, it was only natural for me to create this piece, hoping they eventually find the justice and ultimately, the world that once belonged to them." - Stan Aneto

Stan Aneto is a pro environmental artist, film maker, poet and performer currently residing in Cape Town. Over the years, his passion for nature and the environment has inspired songs, poems, and also visual arts. 'TRAUMATA OF THE EARTH QUEEN' is a theatre work of 1 hour, consisting of poetry, dance, music, photography and fashion on one stage. It tells a story of our beautiful planet, a queen, as she goes through a terrible time of abuse from her subjects. View the 15 minute pilot of Traumata of the Earth Queen on Youtube

He is interested in getting involved or collaborating with an organization. If interested, contact him at:
STAN ANETO | cell: 078 622 4832 | e: stananeto@hotmail.com | twtr: @stananeto

 

Learning from Nature

by Tayla Tucker


I recently went to a film festival which was part of the ‘Sustain our Africa Summit’ and watched a film entitled: ‘Second Nature – The Biomimicry Evolution.’ This film explored the emerging discipline of biomimicry, which examines nature’s best ideas, models, systems and processes, and emulates them to solve human problems. The film was inspired by famous biologist Janine Benyus and followed her and the Biomimicry Institute team in the bush in South Africa as they demonstrated how organisms in the natural world can show us how to be more sustainable and efficient with the things we already have.
 Biomimicry, also known as Biometrics, comes from the Greek words ‘bios’ = life; ‘mimesis’= imitate, and is not a new idea. Man has been looking at nature for answers, both simple and complex, throughout existence. An early example of Biomimicry in Engineering is the study of birds for human flight and even today the most advanced aeroplane building companies are looking at wing structure of larger birds in order create safer commercial passenger carriers.

"The more our world functions like the natural world,the more likely we are to endure on this home that is ours,but not ours alone." ~ Janine Benyus

Throughout the video Janine gives us examples of designs from nature and how they have been used to create superior man-made products, an example being the Lotus leaf. A Lotus leaf is self-cleaning, which means that after rainfall it is clear of water as well as dirt. Janine explains that the surface topography of the leaf interacts with water molecules in a way which allows water to roll off taking dirt with it. A company by the name of Sto Corp has created a sealer which mimics this topography, effectively creating a self cleaning paint. This simple sealer has the potential to change home life forever. No more having to physically wash the walls, the rain can do it, or a simple spray with a hose pipe. This should also eliminate the use of soaps; which will be good for the environment.

 
Images: (left) by Janet Botes, (right) sourced from EcoSalon

If we can learn techniques like this from something as simple as a leaf, imagine what else is waiting out there to be discovered! Nature has been evolving for 3.6 billion years, testing through trail and error, in order to create the most effective with the least resistance. There is so much we can learn, we just need to open our eyes to what is in front of us.

There is a local Biomimicry organisation which provides information and offers courses, where you can learn more about this amazing new branch of science! Go to biomimicrysa.co.za for more information.

Here is a link to a bio of Janine Benyus as part of TEDx, which also includes links to talks that she has given: www.ted.com/speakers/janine_benyus

CROSS-POLLINATION workshop in the Langeberg