INTRANSITIVE JOURNAL

Wardian Table, initially produced as prop for Memory #02 of 'Anarquivo Negantrópico' (ongoing PhD work), in demonstration at The Institute of Endotic Reserach (T.I.E.R. , Berlin) for Transmediale, 2018-19 ... [click image to see event description]

 

Recent and upcoming talks, works, texts, and participations

TALK - Breathtaking Greenhouse Parastructures...at Designing Cycles at 64° conference in Umeå University School of Architecture (30 November, 2022);

TALK Series - Residencia de Investigación en Ciencia Arte y Naturaleza...con la organización ambiental Para La Naturaleza, desde el Paraiso Las Lunas en Caguas, Puerto Rico (enero 2021 - agosto 2022, charlas en YouTube);

TALK - Remembering to forget colonial memory, to learn to live, again...at Decolonising Architecture Master Program at Royal Academy of Art Stockholm (11 November, 2020);

INVITATION: Juracán. at public art for the Plinth at the High Line in New York City (2020);

PhD DEFENSE - Breathtaking Greehouse Parastructures: a supplement to the Arcades Project from a Caribbean Perspective [and a call to a careful practice of epistemológica]. Opponent: Dr. Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung; jury: Prof.-Dr. Martín Ávila (Konstfack), Prof.-Dr. Marcia Cavalcante (Södertörn), Prof.-Dr. Sabine Höhler (KTH), Prof.-Dr. Nina Möntmann (Univ. zu Köln), and Prof.-Dr. Ulrich Schurr (Jülich Forschungszentrum); readers: Profs. Katja Grillner (KTH), and Martín Ávila (Konstfack); supervisors: Profs-Drs. Leif Dahlberg (KTH), Håkan Nilsson (Södertörn), Florian Dombois (ZHdK, ext.), (15 September, 2020);

PROPOSAL - Anarchive: memory #05 Opening of Anarquivo Negantrópico, Gammelgaard, Herlev DK (1 September, 2019);

PROPOSAL - Anarchive: memory #02. A Crème de Menthe, a Rusty Nail. Why Intransitive? - with Callum Harper, The Institute of Endotic Research, Berlin DE (September 27, 2018);

PRESENTATION - SLSAeu Deconstructing Green Conference Doctoral Master Class with Brigette Baptiste 13 - 17. 6. 2018

PROPOSAL - Anarchive: memory #01. Read and Chant the Wetland - with Callum Harper, Eliel Lazo, Greta Eacott, Janosch Schneider, Ectoplasmic Materialism, David Bravo Nogués, Kirstine Strømberg, Martha Skytte, Felix Becker, Randi Kjær and friends from the Seventh Colony, Gammelgaard, Herlev DK (August 19, 2018);

“Report on the social pedestal: Phenomenotechnics of intransitivity and neguentropy emitted by greenhouse parastructures” , Higher seminars in rethinking research practices - with Luis Berríos-Negrón and Frederik Tygstrup, Konstfack, Stockholm SE (March 14, 2017);

Charlottenborg Art Talk - Luis Berríos-Negrón: "Undisciplinary Learning and the Social Pedestal”, organised by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, introduction by Sanne Kofod Olsen, Copenhagen DK (February 8, 2017);

“Konstfack in Salvador, Brazil” // “Work-in-progress in Bahia” // “The trip to Bahia” Konstfack, Stockholm (January 2017)

Tidskriften Rum Magazine, The New Demographic, photos (cover and section) of Earthscore Specularium by David Fischer (v.175, Sept. 2016);

Seminar with Bernard Stiegler at Kent University Summer School in Critical Theory, Paris F (June 13-24, 2016);

“Tropical Pedagogy: the collapsing interior and exterior of spatial production” in Trial and Error, Aedes Metropolitan Laboratory, ed. Lukas Feireiss, Europrint Media, Berlin DE 2016;

“One micron a light-year ago into thirdness” for “Planet B – 100 ideas for a new world”, ed. Alain Bieber, et al, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Köln DE 2016;

Mnemonics 2015 conference Goldsmiths/King’s/Westminster - paper presentation "Anarchives, Site-Specific Greenhouse Superstructures, and the Social (Hyperobjective) Pedestal", London UK (Sept. 8-11, 2015);

Sheffield University Resilience at the Human Scale conference paper-presentation "Greenhouse Superstructures as Social Pedestals: Displaying site-specific non-locality as a possible form of resilience", Sheffield UK (Sept. 11-13, 2015);

Experiment Stockholm lecture - “Greenhouses and other Social Pedestals”, Färgfabriken SE (May 26, 2015);

Presentation of doctoral dissertation "Breathtaking: an environmental index about the unforeseen landscapes and atmospheres of Site-Specific Greenhouse Superstructures in the context of climate change" at Konstfack, Stockholm SE (May 18, 2015);

"Breif report on the dematerialisation of space" presentation in the On Theory and Method: Material Conditions symposium at the Lund University Department of Architecture, Lund, SE (April 23-24, 2015);

Display of Threeing Rugs and "Breif report on Environmental Form and the Social Pedestal" public lecture at Kunstverein's exhibition of Paul Ryan, Amsterdam NL (March 28, 2015);

"Tejiendo y destejiendo en la 4ta dimensión: máquinas abstractas y el pedestal social" public lecture at the School of Architecture of the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras PR (December 1, 2014);

"Weaving and Unweaving in the 4th dimension: Abstract Machines and the Social Pedestal" public lecture at "Homecomings" symposium, Aedes, Berlin DE (October 11, 2014);

"Sistema de Trocas (System of Exchanges) - Scales of time and the 4th dimension" public conversation with the Tata Mutá Imê (espiritual director of the medicinal garden Terreiro de Angola – ou bantu – da nação Angolan Paquetan) at the Museum of Modern Art of Bahia, as part of the pre-program for the Bienal da Bahia, Brasil (April 2014);

"Nonsphere XIV" at Malzfabrik, opening show of permanent installation, Berlin DE (June 12, 2014);

"Living Archive Course" website made by students of the Living Course, Münster School of Architecture, visiting lecturer / editor (Summer 2014);

One Prize 2014 member of the jury, organized by Terreform 1, New York USA;

"Rethinking Prototyping" talk and presentation of the Turtle Six, organized and commissioned by the UdK/TU Berlin Hybrid Plattform program, Berlin DE (May 2014);

"Mutant Matters II at Savvy Contemporary" Luis Berrios-Negron and editors of DiARTgonale Special Editions, moderated by Lorenzo Sandoval & STIFF, Friday, February 21, 2014

"Second Order Archive" website made by students of the Archive Building Course, Münster School of Architecture, visiting lecturer / editor (Winter-Spring 2014);

"Case 5: Intellectual Property Issue" by the Anxious Prop, editor (Winter 2013);

"Size Matters: Regarding the Scale of Models" research project at the Institute for Transdisciplinary Studies, directed by Prof. Florian Dombois, at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, residency, Zurich, Switzerland (Autumn 2013);

Flying Carpets and self-projection(ongoing);

David & Goliath - Models between Art and Architecture: conference with Ellen Blumenstein, Vera Bühlmann, Oliver Elser, Albena Yavena, organized by Florian Dombois, Stephan Trüby, Reinhard Wendler, ZHdK, Zurich CH (Nov.22, 2013);

Come, All Ye Faithful: group exhibition, curated by Carson Chan, at Florian Christopher, Zurich CH (Sept.20, 2013);

The Limits of Origin: Museum of Modern Art discusses the Biennial - conversation with curator Marcelo Rezende, Salvador da Bahia, Brazil (Sept.20, 2013);

The Anxious Prop Case 5: The Intellectual Property Issue - Editor, Miodrag Kuc and Jan Bovelet co-directors, Mutant Matters series, Saavvy Projects, Berlin (Dec.15, 2013);

"Nós Brasil / We Brazil - global economy, local infrastructures" German representation curated by Matthias Böttger, invited artist / architect (The Anxious Prop), São Paulo International Biennale of Architecture, Curitiba/PortoAlegre/Salvador/São Paulo, Brasil;

"Archive Building" workshop and commission in collaboration with curator Trine Friis Sørensen, Danish International Visiting Artist residency, at the University of Copenhagen Department of Art and Cultural Studies, Danish Arts Council, Copenhagen, Denmark, March-April (Spring 2013);

"IKK Festival", artist talk, University of Copenhagen, March 7, 2013.

"Reflexive Design Symposium", 3rd Symposium on Design and Research in Architecture, Institute for History and Theory of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Sciences, Leibniz Universität Hannover, presenter, June 15;

"Urban Ecologies Symposium", Joint Doctoral Symposium Berlin / Copenhagen / London, Department of Art and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen, presenter, June 13-14;

Journals for Weltstadt Nós Brasil / We Brasil : edited by Matthias Böttger, et al, work of Anxious Prop at São Paulo Biennial of Architecture, Salvador, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, contributor;

Social Design Public Action Reader - interview by Anne Kølbek Iversen: Lukas Feireiss, ed. Angewandte/Columbia/ETH, Slum Lab, contributor;

Rauchwolken und Luftschlösser - by Dennis Paul and Andreas Sick, eds., HFK Bremen, contributor, Textem Verlag, Hamburg;

Space Matters - by Lukas Feireiss, ed., Kunstuniversität Linz, contributor, Ambra Verlag, Vienna (2013);

In German curator Ute Meta Bauer's book Kuratorische Praxis. Interviews und Gespräche, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Cologne, 2012-13;

The Future Archive - review by Ana Texeira Pinto in Domus online, Milan, 2012

in British artist Rick Buckley's art book The Hard and The Fast, introduction - A thousand sensors for ten thousand landscapes;

in German architect and critic Nadin Heinich's book Digital Utopia, One Micron a Light Year Ago into Thirdness (Fictions from the Paramannerist Treatise), Akademie der Künste, Berlin, survey of works by, Philip Beesley, Carole Collet, Dunne & Raby, and Karlheinz Steinmüller, among others;

in American artist Maximilian Goldfarb's book Architectural Inventions, a series of drawings titled "Untracings of Nonspheres XII."

Rauchwolken und Luftschlösser Symposium at the HFK Bremen, by Dennis Paul and Andreas Sick (Oct. 19th - 21st);

The Turtle Five commissioned by Aedes Network Campus Berlin with Paramodular (May 30th);

Paul Ryan at Documenta 13- core collaborator in Paul Ryan's Threeing project, co-designer of the Threeing House, exhibiting with Paul Ryan and Michael Kalil three weavings (Threeing Rugs) on the grounds of the Karls-Aue (opening June 6th);

Space Matters - lecture, symposium by Lukas Feireiss in Kunstuniversität, Linz, Austria (May 11th);

The Future Archive - exhibition curated by Ute Meta Bauer at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein. The exhibition focused on the Center for Advanced Visual Studies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (opening June 2nd). A module of The Turtle Two will be exhibited. Lecture June 19th in conversation with Eric Ellingsen (text handout - CAVS yields Turtles);

Maybe Education and Public Programs - talk regarding Threeing works, documenta13, Kassel (April 27);

"...or not to be a curator " - on Berlin Art Journal, by Clare Molloy (April 2012);

Aedes Network Campus, Cinema of the Future Workshop - Assistant Professor TU-BS, symposium Moderator (March 2012);

" end of an experiment " - on Domus, regarding Program Berlin, by Andres Lepik (Jan 2012);

Spontaneous Publication - workshop guest at the Institut für Raumexperimente (Jan 2012);

Associate Member - Council for the Arts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

 

Oxígeno Magazine, Spain, o5.2oo8
By Vanesa Sánchez (full interview)

VS: How do you mix art, technology, politics and social commitment in your work?

LBN: This rarely occurs simultaneously. I see the collectivity of my work as a body that creates a series of environments, experiences where these fields might affect one another. That's why I call my current effort 'Nonspheres', as a reference to the relevant term Noösphere, referenced by Soviet naturalist Vladimir Vernadsky who locates human creativity as much as a part of what is natural, just as the wind and the sea. I attempt to propose 'Nonspheres' as a revision, within the context of the contemporary, questioning minimalism, reductionism, and the commodification of ideas into ideologies. Ultimately, I want to celebrate new economies of materials, social interdependence, and the reticulation of human knowledge in order to usher the age of mass customization. As Gramsci said - "everybody is an intellectual, but not everyone has the role of being an intellectual... that is, once in a while we fry an egg or sew a tear on a suit, but that does not necessarily mean that we are cooks or tailors."

VS: Could you give us examples of your work that are related to sustainability?

LBN: I have difficulties with the term 'sustainability'. I understand that in many ways we are in need of packaging and marketing ideas in order to merchandise discourse. The problem is that we are selling everything under the assumption that the economy is a somewhat stable structure based on the false assumption that petroleum is somehow renewable. There's nothing further from reality. The phenomenon 'peak oil' is unfortunately a pending conflict, and we do not have the slightest idea as to what will be its impact. The only thing we do know is that there is a powerful faction in the United States that has no problem with maintaining the future of their 'lifestyles' through the use of international, violent, military force using religion & terrorism as pretext for resource conflicts (creating a fabulous precedent for Russia, China, etc.). This alleged pretext of freedom brand 'USA' is a Trojan horse itself, the 'prequiem' (term referenced by David Woodard) was Kuwait, and now is fully exercised in Iraq, and in lesser-known areas such as Darfur and Chechnya. This 'branding' of democracy reveals the alarming structural instability of the projects of justice and human rights, as Foucault (and Freud before him) had foreseen. So then, how are we going to use the term 'sustainable' if the variables that we are using have fictitious values? That is why I am trying simultaneously to reassess the relationship between the natural and modernity, as well as the incongruence between religious cultures and the logic of the open market... where questions might emerge, thus breaking the hermetic aspect of 'sustainability' as we know it, in order to realign it to the practice of everyday life. This is what we proposed in our microprojects at SOS48 in Murcia.

VS: Tell us your experience at the festival SOS 4.8. What was the reaction of the public?

LBN: It was one of curiosity. And so it was designed. When I proposed the work with the filmmaker / artist Eric Adamsons, the idea was to create another Trojan horse. This had two purposes: one, the idea of using materials found in the immediate area of the Festival, in this case the concrete formwork; two, creating an offering to the public that took the figure of a war machine... simply put, the term was based on 'Nomadology' by Deleuze and Guattari, where the intention is to position the work as a counter-cultural agent. At SOS48, the idea was that in this case the horse was a filtered stage rather than a container, where the spectator was compelled to ask about what is this doing here at SOS48? ie. the context of the sustainable, the logic of Empire, resource wars, neo-liberal colonialism, all gazed through exercises of torture and pleasure (Abu Ghraib, S&M) taking place in the viscera of the 'horse'. The stage transposed the public using tactics of both the tragedy and satire, combined with chroma-key technology, all framed within these performative, contemporary practices.

VS: Tell us about 'Verde que te quiero Verde'; What is this work about?

LBN: Well, the title has two dimensions. The first is a commentary on the diverse meanings and contradictions bearing the color green. I am talking about hope, rebirth, the political and environmental movement(s), the use of it to mask fictitious environments in cinema and television, not to mention the visual association that goes beyond just being the colour of the Muslim faith, but of Islamic fundamentalism. On the other hand, Lorca, which is of course the author of the title, used his own talent not only to deliver his art but also as a vehicle to carry a subversive message against the violent suppression of political and sexual practices during his time. I saw Lorca and the title as a reference to the tactic, which emerges from the fragility of freedom and the human condition. That's why, so far, I use the title twice: first in Kabul where I directed a collaboration with local artists, and now in Murcia where we need to play off from not only the excessive construction developments in this city, but also the challenges related to immigration issues, fascist history and the Aznar government's involvement in the North American exploitation against the people of Iraq.

VS: How do you feel about being part of a new generation or movement of artists who base their works on a commitment to social critique?

LBN: We can see a clear trend, artistic and discursive, about such practices from the moment that serious problems arose from the industrial era... mainly the paternalistic thinking that assumes that we can force Nature. Dewey, Emerson, Vernadsky, Jacobs, Freud, Duchamp, Hubbard, Fuller, et al, are a few of a number of thinkers who identified, with great precision, in text and / or in plastic works, these challenges. The difference today is that we are again approaching one of those conflicting, potentially disastrous moments where the exponential balance between population, the economy of fossil resources and food supplies does not add-up. There are many artists / colleagues whom I admire enormously and with whom I share the enthusiasm of our unspoken practices. I continue trying to generate work that addresses the aesthetics of these challenges, but I do not want to pigeon-hole them into a movement. If we are lucky, all practices will realign their footprints back into the temporal scale of Nature, ceasing to live in the fallacious faith that technology and the heavens will solve everything and that there will be no beauty without it. Yes, faith and technology are components, but it is clear that our genius will not exceed Nature, and that it is a matter of readjusting to her rhythm. Nature stays; We are the ones that go.

VS: What do you think are the possibilities of art as a weapon to change (and improve) the world?

LBN: Well, this is a controversial matter in the art world. There are purists such as Richard Serra that I think, ironically, fear the amplification and evolution of art, saying that art is 'purposefully useless'. However, what happens when he makes a massively printed and disseminated illustration based on the events at Abu Ghraib with the words 'STOP BUSH'? So in the end art has the capacity to be useful, morally and ethically. I'm not interested in the slightest to dedicate myself to this because I find it didactic and boring. But I do believe that artists have the right and ability to position themselves in public, to provoke questions within an audience, to think about what does it mean to live consistently in the future. For this we need much more continuous and relentless discourse bringing this conversation and its factors to the public table.