A total of 10 video contributions by 17 artists from 9 countries and 11 research statements by 22 scientists from 12 countries were shown, covering atmospheres both on Earth and on other planets. Photo: Universalmuseum JOanneum / J.J. Kucek
Atmospheres – Art, Climate, and Space Research Mobile Pavilion
February 1 – March 1, 2024
Open from 11am-2pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
Free and open to the public
The mobile pavilion is an international ambassador.
A specially produced miniature version of the mobile pavilion’s presentation room with the same content is now traveling as an international ambassador. The filmic contributions on the topics of art, climate change and space exploration are presented on a semi-circular screen to create an immersive experience, supported by a special sound module.
In cooperation with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria and the Province of Styria, collaborations with international cultural forums have been agreed.
Atmospheres, an exhibition showcasing a Mobile Pavilion with a multimedia installation conceived in collaboration with the Austrian regional government of Styria, stands as a testament to the power of art, research, and collaboration in addressing the fundamental questions of our time, it invites visitors to embark on an immersive journey through the realms of atmosphere, climate, and space exploration. It is curated by Astrid Kury.
International artists and researchers with ties to Styria have collaboratively crafted this exhibition. Both art and research are inherently drawn to the enigmatic. This holds especially true for space exploration, where every step takes us to the outermost bounds of the imaginable. In a similar vein, art continually unveils surprising and poetic perspectives on our world.
Atmospheres delves into a subject of profound significance as we find ourselves at a critical juncture in history. The sky has always been intertwined with profound questions about our place in the world, our origins, our identity, and our future. Through the fusion of art, climate science, and space research, this exhibition offers fresh and unexpected perspectives on life beneath the diverse skies that envelop our planet. Overall, focuses on the protection and preservation of hospitable conditions in the face of climate change.
What would it be like to inhabit radically different atmospheres? Since the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995, an astounding array of atmospheres has been found on other celestial bodies. Simultaneously, this experience with alien skies is one we may also encounter on Earth as climate change persists.
At the heart of this exhibition lies a pivotal question: “Who are we in relation to nature and the vast diversity of life?” The pursuit of our climate goals is the linchpin to safeguarding hospitable spaces on Earth. As revealed in the 2023 Climate Atlas of Styria, it becomes evident that our landscapes are constantly under threat from overuse, pollution, and destruction.
At the core of this exhibition lies a bold framework: the leap from Styria into the cosmos and back, coupled with the responsibility for life on Earth. It forges remarkable partnerships to offer new insights into the climate crisis and the urgent areas that demand our attention.
Simultaneously, the notion of saving our planet through technological means and space migration raises moral inquiries. Who should have the privilege to embark on this interstellar journey? The concept of migration takes on entirely new dimensions, replete with questions about responsibility, conquest, colonization, and the conscientious stewardship of new environments in space.
Exhibition view "Atmospheres - Art, Climate and Space Research" in New York, photo: Universalmuseum Joanneum / J.J. Kucek
The immersive exhibition "Atmospheres - Art, Climate and Space Research" of the mobile pavilion of the STEIERMARK SCHAU was opened at the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York. Photo: Universalmuseum Joanneum / J.J. Kucek
Exhibition view "Atmospheres - Art, Climate and Space Research" in New York, photo: Universalmuseum Joanneum / J.J. Kucek
The projection screen in a miniature version of the mobile pavilion now shows the exhibitions of STEIERMARK SCHAU 2023 in New York. Photo: Universalmuseum Joanneum / J.J. Kucek
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Azra Akšamija & Dietmar Offenhuber
Benedikt Alphart & Adina Camhy
Michaela Grill
Markus Jeschaunig
Rainer Kohlberger & Peter Kutin
Gudrun Krebitz
Ralo Mayer
Muntean/Rosenblum: Markus Muntean & Adi Rosenblum
Kay Walkowiak
Richard Wilhelmer & Sonja Mutić
Silvana Beraldo & Daniela Brasil
PARTICIPATING SCIENTISTS & RESEARCHERS
Nanna Bach-Møller, Patrick Barth, Ludmila Carone, Katy Chubb, Luca Fossati, Christiane Helling, Helena Lecoq Molinos, Emma Puranen, Dominic Samra, Alexandra Scherr, Jan Philip Sindel, Ruth-Sophie Taubner, Christine Moissl-Eichinger, Robert Höldrich, Franz Zotter, Hannes Mayer, Anita Rinner, Dieter Pirker
Concept, design and head of project mobile pavilion: Alexander Kada
The Mobile Pavilion was curated by: Astrid Kury
Exhibition technology: Mit Loidl oder Co GmbH
Video technology: Georg Peinhaupt
Production projection space: Wolfgang Raunjak, Raunjak Intermedias
What do we look for in the skies, and why do we look at the skies? This contribution on exploring the sky arose from the experience that traditional methods of orientation when sailing by watching the clouds no longer work as a result of changes in weather due to climate change. In their video, Navigating the Sky, Azra Akšamija and Dietmar Offenhuber combine two different knowledge systems that can be used to explore the sky, and thus two ways of seeing the world and two ways of creating and passing on knowledge. Their common focus is the question of how knowledge is created.
