Eden Project

In September 2018, Katharina and Till set out for a four-week long expedition to Eden Project in Cornwall, UK. Our intention has been to invite (non-)human beings on the site to create electronic sounds as a shared artistic intervention. But we soon found that we were confronted with something much more than just a place to make music at: Eden Project presented itself as a giant, living, and pulsating organism. So complex, so lively, that most of its aspects continuously escaped our comprehension. As these impressions slowly settled in our thoughts and work, we deliberately extended our invitation to the organism called Eden Project itself.

Next to collecting our impressions in various recordings, polaroids, drawings and texts, we also created a site-specific soundwalk that can be accessed either on site or remotely.

Below is a chronology of the events as they took place and were recorded, collected and curated by us.

The Arrival

The Arrival

We drove through a maze of hedges and soil until we reached the brightly lit portal declared as the back entrance of a garden called Eden.

impressions of day 1

impressions of day 1

We are overwhelmed by the sheer sensory overflow of day one at Eden. It is (expectedly) difficult to even only get a hint of the function and inner workings of an organisms as Eden Project just by glancing over parts of its behaviour.

bamboo

bamboo

We had plans to explore the far outskirts of Eden Project and ended up discovering the area just behind the core building. The day was sunny, beautiful and very windy.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis

An acoustic recapitulation of our expedition behind and inside the mediterranean zone of Eden Project. Sonically poking through the various layers of hexagonal double-pillows that absorb approximately 50 percent of sunlight yet protect the mediterranean plants from the temperate climate (Cfb) of Cornwall.

Data Sonification of the WTB

Data Sonification of the WTB

Hi Till and Katharina. Please find attached .CSV files for the outside data, and WTB biome. Data is from midnight 07th September 2018 to midnight 08th September 2018 at 8 minute intervals.Hope this helps. Cheers,Michael

visiting FoAM Kernow

visiting FoAM Kernow

We visited Amber and Dave of FoAM Kernow in their studio. Apart from being the facilitators of our residency at Eden Project, “FoAM is a network of transdisciplinary labs at the intersection of art, science, nature and everyday life.”

United Fruits

United Fruits

The United Fruit Company was an American corporation that traded in tropical fruit (primarily bananas), grown on Central and South American plantations, and sold in the United States and Europe.

Orchard, wetlands, banalas

Orchard, wetlands, banalas

In the morning… We explored two of the many off-site areas of Eden Project. As advised by the horticulturist Kev, we walked from Vounder Barn towards the Pineapple parking lot.

water cycles of Eden

water cycles of Eden

Today we got an introduction by Kevin the engineer on the pumping systems that prevent Eden from flooding. This insight fundamentally changed our view on the Eden Project plus it was a so interesting that we came back to record some of the pumps.

Rinsey to Porthleven

Rinsey to Porthleven

We went on a field trip with the wonderful Anthony Bryant Stephen Polglase (and about 20 other people) to get an idea on the mining history of Cornwall.

Organelles

Organelles

The Eden organism relies on 400 (winter) and 700 (summer) organelles with duties such as facilitating awareness and communication, growth, service, or immune system.

people as stones

people as stones

So many accompanied us on our journey. We are thankful to have met each and every one of them. For their help and perspectives on the world, for spending time with us, for being the way they are.

thin layers of paradise lost

thin layers of paradise lost

In Janurary 2020, friendly.organisms were invited to be part of strange things. thin layers of paradise lost by friendly.organisms The group exhibition was accompanied by film screenings and concert programs in the evening. Taking place in Betonhalle of silent green Kulturquartier, it featured recent audio-visual works of UdK students, alumni and affiliated artists. With thin Continue reading thin layers of paradise lost