wastescapes (2017)
CH/DE/FR 2017 / audio walk / stereo / German & English version / app, smartphones, headphones
Concept, research and realisation
Research team Times of Waste: Flavia Caviezel (lead), Mirjam Bürgin, Anselm Caminada, Adrian Demleitner, Marion Mertens, Yvonne Volkart, Andreas Simon (tech supervision).
With the voices of
Inga Eickemeier, Elias Eilinghoff, Cathrin Störmer (German version)
Thomas Douglas, Joy Frempong, Rebecca Travis (English version)
Translation: Fiona Elliott
Studio recording
Justin Robinson
Production / Funding
University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Academy of Art and Design.
The research is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation; the audio walk is supported by the Amt für Umwelt und Energie BS, Tiefbauamt BS, IBA Basel 2020, IG Rheinbogen/Solarfähre
Location
Trinational border area of CH/DE/FR, harbour of Basel
Synopsis
The audio walk wastescapes is a joint project with Times of Waste (2015-18). It looks at processes of cleaning and disposal in the trinational area of Basel/Switzerland, bordering Germany and France. Travel routes are observed for organic or inorganic matter. The research focuses on local phenomena which are examplary of regional or global entanglements, like the Port area and its recycling services, import/export (CH), BASF lindane cleansing (FR), mobile repair shops/re-use (DE), invasive animals (common gudgeon) or a temporary use area after deconstruction of oil tanks (CH).
The GPS-based audiowalk is played on smartphones. Using this technology as data carrier, themes such as raw material, waste and recycling are directly thematized. The wide ranging and varied pace of exploration offers a diversity of reception modalities. At best, visitors experience a kind of transformation through participation, merging the role of visitor and (empowered) actant.
wastescapes emerged from the research and exhibition project RhyCycling (2010-13) which focused on interactions and interdependencies of the non/human environment. https://rhycycling.ixdm.ch
Project website
https://times-of-waste.ch/en/audiowalk-en/
