Presentation:

Vegetal Leather and Miserable Machines

Biotalk 17 - with Špela Petrič, Amber Veel, Sarmite Polakova

25 Feb 2016

Please note we have changed the date.

Tonight we'll explore the interconnectedness of man, plant and animal with artists Špela Petrič, Amber Veel and Sarmite Polakova. Who is this living other? And how do we as humans and artist relate to their skin, seeds and life functions? We will discuss miserable machines, leather made from pine-bark and a taxidermy laboratory.

Pizza Nero special from 18:00- 20:00, talks begin at 20:00
Tickets / Facebook

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Close up from the miserable machine - Špela Petrič uses mussels to generate patterns on vases Špela Petrič (SI)

With:
Špela Petrič (SI), Amber Veel , Sarmite Polakova (LV), Stimuleringsfonds voor de Creatieve Industrie, Gemeente Amsterdam

Speakers

Špela Petrič

What's the common semiosphere we as humans share with plants? Bio-artist Špela Petrič will introduce us to three of her projects: Miserable Machines - Soot O math, in which mussels are mercilessly lashed into an electro-stimulated design apparatus to make a vase. Skotopoiesis, a performance that attempts plant-human intercognition. And Phytoteratology a new work which evolves around the naturally occurring human sex hormones that can be found in plants.

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Skotopoiesis - Confronting vegetal othernes Špela Petrič (SI)

Amber Veel

Amber Veel examines the skin and the way it has a place in our existence. She works with dead animals, preserving their skin through the application of tanning and skinning and by doing this, offers the skins a second life. In her latest project the Taxidermic Laboratory she will investigate the application of old photographic techniques as a means of harnessing information from a skin. In addition to this, she is looking into tanning with vegetation from her surroundings.

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Tanning studies - Tanned collection II, Taxidermic Laboratory by Amber Veel Amber Veel

Sarmite Polakova

In Latvia for each citizen there are 500 pine trees. People used to use the pine tree for all kinds of things: food, medicine and even magic. But these days, people tend to use the cheap outer bark instead of the soft inner bark. The inner bark is very flexible and has a leather like feeling. With her project ‘Pineskins’, Sarmite Polakova wants to create a closer relationship between trees and humans.

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Sarmite Polakova - Sarmite Polakova with her work 'Pineskins' Found on Sarmite Polakova

With: Sarmite Polakova (LV)

Information
Biotalk
Thursday February 25
Food from 18:00, talks at 20:00
Tickets: Students €5,- */ Pre-sale €7,50 / Door: €10,-
*please bring your student card to the ticketservice

Mediamatic Biotoop , Dijkspark 6 Amsterdam

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Miserable Machines: Soot-o-mat - Misserable machine using mussels to create vases Using mussels to create vases - an overview of the system that you can now see in the Mediamatic Eten Restaurant Špela Petrič (SI)

With: Špela Petrič (SI)