Events

Attuning with cooling tower microbes: a conversation on art, science- and bioethics collaboration

Lectures and seminars

Join us for an inspiring morning of thought-provoking dialogue between artists, scientists, and philosophers to explore the boundaries of transdisciplinary collaboration through the lens of the Koelleven project, including an artist talk, panel discussion, and networking lunch.

Microbes growing in medium with three glass solar cells, June 2023. Anne Willems Group, Dept Microbiology, Gent University. Photo: Bartaku

When

11.9.2024 10:30 – 13:00

Where

Undergraduate Centre

Otakaari 1, 02150 Espoo Lecture hall U7 (U135a), Undergraduate Centre

Registration period:

12.8.2024 10:00 – 11.9.2024 10:30

Event language(s)

English

We cordially invite you to join us for an engaging and intellectually stimulating event as we explore the intersections of art, science, and philosophy through the Koelleven project – a transdisciplinary inquiry exploring unique perspectives on microbial biodiversity, biosignalling, and the ethics of attuning.

Instigated by artist Bartaku, Koelleven delves into the intricate relationships between humans and microbial communities living in the dynamic environment of natural-draft hyperboloid cooling towers. Through a specific blend of artistic inquiry, scientific inquiry, and philosophical discourse, the project ventures beyond the traditional academic silos. Its trickery aim? To empower microbes, recognising their inherent value and rights, and generate a deeper understanding of multi-perspective and multispecies models of inquiry.

Dye-sensitized solar cell in microbial growth medium. Photo: Bartaku, 2023. — Low res detail of bacteria in a Petri dish with growth medium and a dye sensitized glass solar cell. Part of Koelleven experiments, at the Lab of Microbiology (Anne Willems group), Ghent University, June 5, 2023. By Bartaku and Emmelie De Ridder.

Artist’s talk

Join us as Bartaku shares this artistic research journey, insights, and thought-provoking findings from the ongoing Koelleven project. Discover if and how Koelleven's collaborative process pushes the boundaries of conventional knowledge. How is it challenging preconceived notions about biodiversity, living organisms as resources, and the urgent need for so-named innovative approaches to contemporary ecological crises? How does it express the tensions associated with the microbiomes residing within the cooling towers of nuclear facilities?

Koelleven not only delves into the scientific aspects of microbial communities in these breathing industrial tower totems. It offers a novel conceptual framework as well. By embracing the ethics of attuning, deep sensing, and responding, it aims to inquire about possible ways of reciprocal relationships with these microbial cooling tower communities to foster transformative understandings of multispecies relationships.

One of the distinctive aspects of the work is the creation of a visual medium in which the microbial pigments are used for explorative research of dye-based solar cells, microbial biodiversity, and non-extractive bioelectronic futures with the cooling tower landscape.

Panel discussion and networking lunch

Following Bartaku's talk, we invite you to be part of a lively panel discussion and a networking lunch supported by Aalto Networking Platform. Engage with the project partners, colleagues, and our invited panellists to discuss the intricacies, challenges, and opportunities of transdisciplinarity collaboration in artistic research. Your valuable insights and critical perspectives will shape the discourse and contribute to the academic community's understanding of the transformative power of cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Moderator: Dr. Riikka Mäkikoskela, Head of Radical Creativity, Aalto University

Panelists

Prof. Kristien Hens, Centre for Ethics, Dept of Philosophy, Antwerp University, BE
Prof. Marjan De Mey, Dept of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, BE
Emmelie De Ridder, PhD student, LM-UGent, Dept of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, BE
Allyson Robert, PhD student, X-LAB, Dept of Physics, Hasselt University, BE
Prof.dr. Filippo Morini, Guest Professor, X-LAB, Dept of Physics, Hasselt University, BE
Dr. Christina Stadlbauer, Researcher, Dept of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, BE
Dr. Bart Vandeput, Postdoc senior researcher, Dept of Philosophy, Antwerp University, BE
Dr. Janne Halme, New Energy Technologies Group, Dept of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science

How can collaborations between artists, scientists, and philosophers converge and contribute to a deeper understanding of complex environmental and societal challenges?
In what ways can the ethics of attuning with microbial communities enhance our methodologies and approaches to artistic research and scientific inquiry? What are the opportunities and challenges there?
How can art-science collaborations challenge traditional anthropocentric views and foster new ways of enquiring into the (intra)relationships between living organisms and the environment?
What transformative insights can be gained from embracing a reciprocal kin relationship with microbial communities and considering their inherent value and rights?
How can artistic creations, such as microbial dye-based solar cell art installations, serve as meaningful interfaces for exploring and communicating with microbial communities?
What is the potential impact of interdisciplinary artistic research collaborations on career paths? How can we facilitate non-linear, intuitive, transversal career paths in academia?
How can disseminating research findings through exhibitions, symposiums, workshops, and public dialogues engage with different stakeholders and blur the boundaries between disciplines and audiences?

Registration

Please register via the button at the top of this page.

Please register early to help us reserve the lunch. You can easily cancel your registration should your plans change.

We look forward to welcoming you to this transformative event!

Organisers

For more information, please contact:

Janne Halme, University Lecturer, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science ([email protected], +358503441695, Aalto Research)

Bart (Bartaku) Vandeput (PhD), Postdoc senior researcher, Dept of Philosophy, Antwerp University; Visiting Researcher at New Energy Technologies Group (Aalto University), Centre for Synthetic Biology (UGent), X-LAB (UHasselt) ([email protected], Bartaku Art Research)

Acknowledgements

Koelleven: inquiries about relationalities between microbiomes in cooling towers & humans is a project by Bartaku_Art_Research / r-Ohm vzw (BE), in partnership with X-LAB, UHasselt; Lab of Microbiology and Centre for Synthetic Biology, UGent; Centre for Ethics, UAntwerp; New Energy Technologies Group, Aalto University, and nadine lab for contemporary art.

With financial support through the Innovative Partner Projects scheme by Flemish Cultural Authorities (1.1.2023 – 31.12.2025). With support from SCK CEN Mol; Bioart Society; Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design & Architecture.

Aalto Networking Platform kindly supports the networking lunch.