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Ingrid Bjornaali, Maria Simmons & Fabian Lanzmaier

Ingrid Bjørnaali is a multidisciplinary artist who records specific biotopes in various states of their ongoing world-building processes. With an aim to learn from our surrounding nature and co-existing species, she makes intimate close-up readings through e.g. photogrammetry that relates to satellite mapping and mediation of anthropocentric spaces and monuments. Her works explore the omnipresence of the digital in our experience of the world as well as the inability of technology to articulate matter’s complexity.

Fabian Lanzmaier is a musician and sound artist living in Vienna. In his often collaborative works, he mixes sound and other media such as performance, sculptural elements, light, and video. In his live performances and compositions he uses audio synthesis to explore aspects of texture and structure of sound as well as its presence within space. In his recent work he is experimenting with perception and ideas of natural / artificial sounds, fluid and ambiguous environments.

Maria Simmons is a Canadian symbiontic artist who investigates potentialized environments through the creation of hybrid sculptures and installations. Her work embraces contamination as an act of collaboration. She collects garbage, grows yeast, ferments plants, and nurtures fruit flies. She makes art that eats itself.


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Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass

Ingrid Bjørnaali is a multidisciplinary artist who records specific biotopes in various states of their ongoing world-building processes. With an aim to learn from our surrounding nature and co-existing species, she makes intimate close-up readings through e.g. photogrammetry that relates to satellite mapping and mediation of anthropocentric spaces and monuments. Her works explore the omnipresence of the digital in our experience of the world as well as the inability of technology to articulate matter’s complexity.

Fabian Lanzmaier is a musician and sound artist living in Vienna. In his often collaborative works, he mixes sound and other media such as performance, sculptural elements, light, and video. In his live performances and compositions he uses audio synthesis to explore aspects of texture and structure of sound as well as its presence within space. In his recent work he is experimenting with perception and ideas of natural / artificial sounds, fluid and ambiguous environments.

Maria Simmons is a Canadian symbiontic artist who investigates potentialized environments through the creation of hybrid sculptures and installations. Her work embraces contamination as an act of collaboration. She collects garbage, grows yeast, ferments plants, and nurtures fruit flies. She makes art that eats itself.

https://www.forma.org.uk/assets/_large/Still_LBDM_4.jpg

Ingrid Bjørnaali, Maria Simmons & Fabian Lanzmaier, ‘Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass’, 2023. Film still. Made with support from Canada Council for the Arts, The Audio and Visual Fund Norway, UKAI Projects and Bergen Centre for Electronic Arts. Courtesy and © the artists. Selected for AFI‘24 by Tromsø Kunstforening, Tromsø, Norway.

https://www.forma.org.uk/assets/_large/still_LBDM_2.jpg

Ingrid Bjørnaali, Maria Simmons & Fabian Lanzmaier, ‘Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass’, 2023. Film still. Courtesy and © the artists. Made with support from Canada Council for the Arts, The Audio and Visual Fund Norway, UKAI Projects and Bergen Centre for Electronic Arts. Selected for AFI‘24 by Tromsø Kunstforening, Tromsø, Norway.

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Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass (2023)
Ingrid Bjørnaali, Maria Simmons & Fabian Lanzmaier
Selected by Tromsø Kunstforening, Norway

Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass is an audiovisual collaboration between Ingrid Bjørnaali, Maria Simmons and Fabian Lanzmaier, focusing on peatlands and their interpretation through various recording and 3D computing technologies. Through the use of photogrammetry, a technology that relates to satellite mapping and archiving of anthropocentric spaces and monuments, the biotope is interpreted bit by bit in an intimate, close-up interaction. The work explores specific peatlands in Finland, Norway and Canada from various perspectives, decentralizing the human experience and focusing on the idea of natural landscapes as sources as opposed to resources.

The text in the voice over is based on research, myths and field notes from encounters with peatlands. It is inspired by texts written by Anna Tsing, Karen Barad and Espen Sommer Eide, from the books ‘Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet’ and 'Spectres 1: Composing Listening/Composer L'ecoute'.

The audio consists of edited field recordings from the physical peatlands as well as sounds produced by synthesizers. The audio is done by Lanzmaier, the voice over by Simmons, text written by Simmons and Bjørnaali, the photogrammetry, animation and editing by Bjørnaali, including some footage captured by Simmons.

In the video, the bog is referred to as a ‘mire’, echoing its Norwegian name ‘myr’.

Awareness of the urgency of human solidarity with peatlands for the future of our planet is spreading. The collective work Land Bodies,Decomposing Mass invites us on a journey into the bog, opening up for its significance to sink into our minds and bodies. A hypnotizing voice holds our hands, and a guiding narrative takes us across, within and under the curious ecosystems of peatlands.

Tromsø Kunstforening have shown 'Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass' as part of Down in the Bog - Thinking with Peatlands, a series of exhibitions and events in solidarity with the important ecosystems of Peatlands, curatorially composed by Karolin Tampere. Down in the Bog - Thinking with Peatlands is led by an ambition to create cross-pollinating meeting grounds for art, environmental issues and the public. The project emphasizes the sharing and embodying of knowledge and awareness to create attention towards the need for increased care of peatland areas, locally, nationally and internationally.

22/3-12/5-2024 Down in the Bog: Hibernation at Tromsø Kunstforening (Tromsø Center for Contemporary Art, Norway)

14/6-1/9-2024 Down in the Bog: Sporulation at EKKM (Estonian Museum for Contemporary Art, Tallinn)

27-29/9-2024 Down in the Bog - Thinking with Peatlands, a three day symposium with Tromsø Kunstforening

Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass was made with support from Canada Council for the Arts, The Audio and Visual Fund Norway, UKAI Projects and Bergen Centre for Electronic Arts.