Callio Lab becomes an art and science residency

The Earth’s climate is changing at an unprecedented rate due to human influence. Man-made technosphere is merging with the cycle of life from microbes down to Earth’s bedrock and from the depths of the oceans to atmosphere and space, resulting in an interdependent, hybrid environment. We must change the way we do things in terms of energy, resources and the living environment and adopt more sustainable practices.

How to adapt to the changes that are already happening? What is the role of local knowledge, on one hand, and information acquired from space, the depths of earth and through satellites and remote sensing, on the other, in describing our hybrid landscapes and lifeforms?

The residency programme calls for artists and workgroups who approach future studies, change detection and environmental change broadly through art and science. The More-than-Planet project and its residency programmes aim to re-examine our understanding of the bigger picture on the planetary level. The themes of the residency are observation of environmental change and artistic exploration of alternative futures and solutions through questions concerning climate, ecology, land use patterns, water ecology, the carbon cycle and social and cultural change. The artists are expected to work in collaboration with both researchers and local communities.



"In the residency programme, the big picture of change and possible futures is built through art and science, with local phenomena building a picture at planetary level. Callio Lab represents research and activity where artists can combine their work and thinking with mine-based research on space and earth conditions, phenomena, the possibilities for human and other life, up to questions about the structure of the universe, space and our planet that unfold through physics," says Antti Tenetz, Project Director of the More-Than-Planet project.



"The life cycle starts with microbes found deep in the Earth's crust, all the way to the atmosphere at the edge of space. Art, research and technologies in extreme conditions deep in the mine and in space always return to the surface of the earth and to the conditions for more sustainable development, life, our relationship with nature and survival. The mine and the collaboration with Callio Lab provide an opportunity to reflect these elements and create new art works and perspectives for our time and possible futures. The residency will also serve as a test of how such collaborations will continue in the future," Tenetz continues.



Callio Lab is a multidisciplinary research environment coordinated by the Kerttu Saalasti Institute at the University of Oulu. Pyhäjärvi Callio is responsible for the development of the reuse of the Pyhäsalmi mine. Through Callio Lab, the University of Oulu is one of Pyhäjärven Callio's reuse customers.



"Pyhäjärvi and the Pyhäsalmi mine have a history of more than 20 years as an underground research environment. Research topics have varied over the decades and now the main focus is on neutrino physics research. The challenge of basic research is often the transfer of research, research topics and results. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing what can emerge from the dialogue between researchers and artists and what form the inspirations can take," says Project Manager Jari Joutsenvaara from the University of Oulu, Kerttu Saalasti Institute.

The open call for residencies seeks proposals and ideas for new perspectives on works that use different methods, technologies, scenarios and identifiable experiences - leading to a deeper and broader picture of change and the solutions it requires. The residency is open to all forms of art making, with an emphasis on artistic practice using lens-based techniques.

Read more: http://www.photonorth.fi/en/nayttelyt/open-call-more-than-planet-residencies-in-2023/

Deadline for applications is 28.2.2023.

Please apply via Google Forms here.