PLATEAURESIDUE

EX TOPIA

2017 | video instalacija

Video in produkcija P L A T E AU R E S I D U E
V sodelovanju z: Geografskim inštitutom Antona Melika ZRC SAZU
Glasba: Magnus Bugge
Pripoved: Ana Bohte
Zvočna obdelava: Simon Kavšek
Terensko delo in pomoč: Katarina Jazbec
Podpora: Geografski inštitut Antona Melika ZRC SAZU x fundacija Mondriaan Fonds (NL) x
fundacija Fond for Lyd og Bilde (NO) x nagrada TESLA (SI)

Ex Topia je multimedijski projekt dua P L A T E AU R E S I D U E, ki je nastal v sodelovanju z Geografskim inštitutom Antona Melika ZRC SAZU na Triglavskem ledeniku. Ex Topia je estetski poseg v potek dela raziskovalne skupine osmih znanstvenikov in dvaintridesetih prostovoljcev avgusta 2017.
Projekt se posveča pokrajini pod Triglavskim ledenikom, ki so jo prizadele podnebne spremembe. Ledenik se je v sedemdesetih letih skrčil s 36 na le 1 hektar, tako da ga danes skoraj ni več. Ključno vprašanje, ki naju je zanimalo, je izgled in občutek postledeniške pokrajine ter njeno dojemanje med udeleženci ekspedicije, ki so se prvič povzpeli na ledenik. Rezultat je obširna multimedijska inštalacija, ki vključuje posnetke lokacije, intervjuje s prostovoljci in glasbo norveškega skladatelja Magnusa Buggeja.

Ex Topia is a research-based artistic intervention set in the postglacial landscape of Triglav glacier in the Slovenian Alps. The project was created in collaboration with scientists from Anton Melik Geographical Institute ZRC SAZU, a heterogeneous group of 32 participants and music by Norwegian composer Magnus Bugge.
Ex Topia is a documented artistic intervention dedicated to the disappearing Triglav glacier, which shrunk from 36ha to 1ha in just 70 years.
The project focuses on the landscape under the Triglav glacier that has been transformed due to climate change. The key question was the look and the feeling of the postglacial landscape, and the perception of it among participants that ascended to the glacier for the first time.
The result was a multimedia installation, which included scenes of filmed location, interviews with participants and music by Magnus Bugge.

Videoinstalacija Ex Topia (lat. iz pokrajine ali znotraj pokrajine) predstavlja dokumentacijo participatorne umetniške intervencije v pokrajini Triglavskega ledenika avgusta 2017. Ex Topio sva zasnovala zato, da bi prikazala dramatično krčenje Tiglavskega ledenika, ki se je v 70 letih skrčil s 36 na en hektar. Čutila sva, da morava prikazati drastično preoblikovanje pokrajine, ki je posledica podnebnih sprememb. Zavedala sva se, da smo mnogi od nas že bili kdaj v stiku s pokrajinami, ki so se, medtem ko jih nismo videli, močno spremenile, na kar nas je navedel naš spomin. A to ni bilo dovolj, da bi čutno in čustveno zaznali podnebne spremembe. Pri snovanju naju je zanimala povezava magičnega in topološkega, ki bi posameznikom omogočila novo izkustvo podnebnih sprememb. Zato sva zasnovala poseben protokol udeležbe in izbrala posebno opremo, ki je udeležence spodbudila, da so razvijali poglobljeno razumevanje pokrajine in občutkov o izginjajočem ledeniku.
Kadar se povežemo z naravo, postanemo čustveno ranljivi. Ravno ta ranljivost, ki je odziv na pojavnost pokrajine in posledice podnebnih sprememb, je rdeča nit projekta Ex Topia. Čutno soočenje in konfrontacija z ledenikom sta udeležence ozavestila o posledicah podnebnih sprememb.
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Ex Topia, in Latin etymologically referring to the sentence from the landscape or within the landscape represents the documentation of a participatory artistic intervention that took place in the landscape of Triglav glacier, Slovenia in August 2017. The motivation behind the work was the dramatic retreat of the glacier, which devastatingly shrunk from 36 to just 1ha in size over the last 70 years. The urge to visualize this radical transformation of the landscape due to the effects of climate change was very strong.
Many of us have encountered landscapes that ruthlessly changed over time, but may have not been instantly perceived as drastic at that very moment. With time passing and our later visits to the affected landscape, the memory notably reminded us of its transformation, which was not enough for sensory and emotional engagement with the afflicted landscape itself. For achieving such involvement, the connection between magical and topological (the physical and natural features and their structural relationships) needed to be present in the individual’s experience of climate change. Ex Topia used participatory protocol, involving special equipment that allowed individuals to establish a deeper engagement with the landscape and process of the disparaging glacier.
When we as individuals release ourselves into nature, we feel the most vulnerable and precisely this vulnerability, which becomes a response to the actual state of the affected area, turned out to become the golden thread of the work Ex Topia. Emotional perception and confrontation with the glacier and its location were actions that defined a participant’s deeper understanding and greater awareness of climate change ramifications.

Ko sva pričela s snovanjem odprave, sva se zavedala, da bo podvig logistično zelo zahteven. Ideja za sodelovanje s skupino strokovnjakov z Geografskega inštituta Antona Melika ZRC SAZU se je porodila iz redne izmenjave mnenj z dr. Alešem Smrekarjem z inštituta. Skupaj smo objavili poziv za udeležbo, na katerega se je prijavilo skoraj 400 ljudi. Med njimi smo izbrali raznoliko skupino 32 udeležencev, ki je sodelovala v umetniški intervenciji na Triglavskem ledeniku avgusta 2017.
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Before we started to plan the expedition, we realized the project would become an extensive logistical investment. The idea for a joint expedition together with the team of geologists from Anton Melik
Geographical Institute ZRC SAZU aspired from regular conversations with dr. Aleš Smrekar from the Institute. Together we decided to organize a collaborative interdisciplinary project with the involvement of 32 participants, that were selected on a nationwide open call among 400 applicants, to participate in the artistic intervention that took place in August of 2017.

Zasnovala sva celosten protokol udeležbe. Uporabljena so bila posebna oblačila, ki so udeležencem omogočila, da so se zlili s pokrajino. Tako so lahko vzpostavili lastno razumevanje ostankov ledenika.
Že v dolini sva sestavila snemalni šotor, podoben azijski jurti, ki je bil pokrit z maskirno mrežo. Ta je omogočila hkratno vidnost in nevidnost v pokrajini. Konstrukcija šotora je bila sestavljena iz bambusa ter je bila lahka in trdna. Bila je odporna na gorsko vreme in hkrati dovolj preprosto zložljiva, da jo je lahko na območje ledenika pripeljal helikopter Slovenske vojske. Šotor je bil postavljen sredi razgibane pokrajine, ki jo je do nedavnega prekrival ledeniški led. Bil je prostor iniciacije udeležencev, ki so sodelovali pri projektu. Vsak od udeležencev je posamezno vstopil vanj in poslušal nagovor, posnet na digitalnem nosilcu medija. Nagovor je vključen v uvodni del videa Ex Topia. Udeleženec je v šotoru dobil maskirno obleko, narejeno iz materialov, ki se vizualno spajajo z danim okoljem in jo ponavadi uporabljajo vojaki. Preoblečen je odšel iz šotora in pričel samostojno raziskovati pokrajino. Šotor je nudil zavetje pred pusto pokrajino ter je omogočal osamitev in počitek od okolice. Kombinacija šotora in oblek je ustvarila magično atmosfero, udeležencem pa sva omogočila enkratno priložnost, da so se podali v postledeniško pokrajino in jo osebno zaznavali.
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We orchestrated a fully engaging movement protocol with dedicated outfits for participant’s full immersion in the landscape and notion of glacial remains.We constructed a tent, similar to a yurt, covered with camouflage net for in/visibility in the landscape. The frame of the tent was made from bamboo sticks to be light and rigid so that it could easily resist harsh mountainous weather and would also fit into a helicopter of Slovenian Army for transportation.The tent was set in the middle of a rugged landscape not long ago covered with glacial ice. The place paralleled with the concept of initiation for participants that joined the expedition. Every participant individually approached the tent and listened to a prerecorded narration on a digital medium, which is also included in the introduction of the film.
After hearing the recording, the participant was given a ghillie suit (normally a garment used by the military, made from materials that blend with the given environment) and exited the tent for an individual exploration of the landscape. The tent acted as a shelter from the barren landscape, providing isolation and rest from the surroundings. The combination of the tent and the outfits created a magical atmosphere as participants were granted the luxury of being present in the actual post-glacial landscape and could feel its sensory impact.

Skrbno načrtovan protokol udeležbe in uniformiranost so združili udeležence v skupni aktivnosti. Maskirne obleke so ovrgle vse človeške značilnosti in človeške figure zlile z oblikami in barvami pokrajine. Po koncu samostojnega raziskovanja pokrajine sva udeležence prosila, da se ustavijo v snemalnem šotoru, kjer so lahko izrazili svoje videnje in misli. Video Ex Topia je dokumentacija njihovih pričevanj.
Po zaključku Ex Topie sva ugotovila, da je ekspedicija pomembno vplivala na večino udeležencev. Sama pa sva se naučila, da je sodelovanje v protokolu na lokaciji posameznikom pomagalo, da razvijejo močan
čustven odziv in poglobijo svoje znanje o trenutnem stanju ledenika. Močno upava, da bodo udeleženci še naprej širili svoje sporočilo in informacije o ledeniku.
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The carefully orchestrated participatory protocol and uniform outfits joined all the individuals into a common activity. The ghillie outfits have dismissed all human characteristics and visually dissolved human figures with the forms and colors of the landscape. After the individual’s exploration of the landscape participants were asked to enter the tent where they were given a chance to explain their impressions and share their thoughts. The video Ex Topia is a documentation of their testimonies.
After completing Ex Topia, we realized that the expedition left a big mark on the majority of participants. We learned that the connection between collaborative and participatory strategies within the actual location helped individuals to develop a strong emotional response and deepened their understanding of climate change consequences. Participants left with new experiences and knowledge of the glacier’s current state. We always hope that they will continue to share the message and provide the information to others.

Projekt Ex Topia se je predčasno končal zaradi tragične smrti enega izmed udeležencev pod Triglavskim ledenikom. Pomembno je reči, da kot posamezniki postanemo močnejši, ko se združimo z drugimi.
Projekt Ex Topia je posvečen tragičnemu dogodku.
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The project Ex Topia finished ahead of time due to the tragic death of one of the participants under the Triglav glacier. It is important to say that we as individuals become stronger when we immerse ourselves with others.
The project commemorates the tragic event.