FRONTIERS IN RETREAT - SERDE by smg.SERDE

FRONTIERS IN RETREAT 2014-2018

SERDE

Frontiers in Retreat is organised by HIAP â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Helsinki International Artist Programme in partnership with the following art organisations: Centre d'Art i Natura CAN (ES) Cultural Front GRAD (RS) Interdisciplinary Art Group SERDE (LV) Jutempus (LT) Mustarinda (FI) Scottish Sculpture Workshop SSW (UK) Skaftfell - Centre for Visual Art (IS)

FRONTIERS IN RETREAT PROJECT CONCEPT (2013–2018) frontiersinretreat.org/ frontiersinretreat.tumblr.com/ serde.lv

Frontiers in Retreat is a five-year collaboration project that promotes multidisciplinary dialogue on ecological questions within a European network formed around artist residencies. The project sets out to examine processes of change. More specifically, it seeks to examine, within the sensitive ecological contexts of Europe, changes in relationship with one another and to develop new approaches to the urgencies posed by them. Throughout, the project recognises the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches to the current ecological concerns and aims to develop techniques and platforms for this through the methods of contemporary art. The project is coordinated by HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union. The project connects artist residency centres located in “remote” areas across Europe in order to provide a unique, transnational platform for investigating local and global ecological concerns. Frontiers in Retreat is the product of seven artist residency organisations in Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Latvia, Serbia, and Spain in collaboration with a Lithuanian art organisation that will develop the educational program of the project. The core of the project is formed by research and production residencies. 25 European artists representing different cultures, generations, and artistic approaches have been selected collaboratively by the project partners to develop new art works in response to the different ecological contexts of each residency site. During the coming years, the artists will circulate within the residency network and conduct artistic research driven by the particular ecologies of the sites.

ANNA RUBIO (ES) http://www.dansanatura.com I developed the following projects to research and raises awareness of the relationship between art and ecology. All the trees I met. II This work is a continuation of exploration with trees I started in Farrera in 2012 and continued in Java. It was performed during the Apple Think Festival , in collaboration with the musician Ruta Vitkauskaite. An intimate connection can be established between a tree and a person. It’s an example of health, strength, about what life is, and how symbols are hidden in them. From the first day in Aizpute, I was captivated by the trees, and especially with you. Very close to SERDE you welcomed me. Your sensual forms captivate me and, at the same time, I feel you big and strong and full of life. Horizontal branches of sefless beech, stretching majestically drinking in the light. Every day, I witness your daily life. Children going quickly to school, women going shopping, some drunks, some distracted dogs, and the leaves. How many generations wished to climb you! By the second day, I couldn’t resist discovering your body. The diameter of your strong branches makes me feel safe and moving every day for your light relief. I explore you and I see that you are man and woman simultaneously and I like that. Complete, holistic. You excite me, welcome me and swing me. The moss that you nourish, dresses you with a dark and soft green. It’s a dress custom made for you. I'll be another ant again, coming up, a ripe fruit, and now also a lover. Beech - fagus, faig, dižskabārdis... Stairs and Water. This is an improvisation work coming from the ideas of the Amerta Movement. Listening to the place for 22 days and exploring my presence inside its presence. This work was presented on the 26th of September and still in process. I found this place on the second day full of mysticism, wind, trees and water. These stairs remind me of old structures, of access to a temple. As if they wanted to transport me up to the sky and down again toward the lake, reminding me of the circularity of life. Suddenly, I realise how much the water is present in this place, in this town. I feel the moisture on my feet, mouth, in my bones and heart. Nature is so strong, water is so strong! The green invading and gaining ground against grey human constructions. Hopeful smile. Meanwhile, invading new areas of grey, nature begins its slow and patient attack in other places. Like this moss on the stairs and the leaves that are just now falling. Apples I started to work with apples and their symbols in 2014 in Farrera (Catalonia) after being shocked by the strong presence of apples in Aizpute. Apples is a creative investigation to explore the evolution of the uses of this fruit, and imagining new uses. Also, I wish to add value to these beautiful trees in town, its fruits, and from a symbolic perspective, explore the concept of falling.

| 2014 |

All the trees I met

| 2014 |

Stairs and Water

All the trees II met

| 2015 |

| 2017 |

Dance in the apple tree

| 2017 |

Apples

BARTAKU (BE/FI) http://www.bartaku.net Aronia Morphing During the past five years, artist/researcher Bartaku (Bru) has been carrying out artistic research on the 1Ha Aronia M. Power Plantation (1HAMP), a former kolchoze in the town of Aizpute. In September 2014, he observed at 1HAMP that Aronia M. was dissatisfied with its scientific nomenclature: "Aronia Melanocarpa (Michx.) Ell.". Instead, a new name arose: ‘Baroa Belaobara’ to be used from September 2014 onwards. Consequently, this renaming created a void, since the existing scientific name “Aronia M.” no longer represents anything. Henceforth, a new form emerged, as a mental image, a sketch, a handmade clay shape stained with Baroa B. Kabuki Paint. So, as a next step: how to make this new shape? This “Aronia Morphing” requires utilizing existing and emerging biotechnologies with investigations into the best techniques including: in vitro cell culture over manipulation via nutrition to hydroponic seed growth and ultimately morphogenesis - the identification of master regulatory genes that controls the shape and size of the berry. The latter ultimately leading to a Baroa B. bush that arguably could be seen as the result of a 3D-printing device. The use of these techniques bring with them questions to the research including: the ethical and biological implications, as well as, the social, historical, ethnographic, and food energy context. Ultimately, Aronia Morphing is about rethinking our understanding of our relationship with our own identity and body, other animals, plants, as well as, life itself. Also part of his research is the development of the partners needed. As for scientists, Janis Liepins, researcher at the University of Latvia, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, will act as mentor and guide. Arts organisations that at the time of writing expressed their desire to be partner in the undertakings are SERDE Interdisciplinary Arts Centre (Lat) and HIAP (Fin). This initial stage of the research will take place at SERDE and at 1HAMP during a maximum of 6 weeks throughout August and September 2015. At various stages of the 3-4 year artistic research, the process will be presented, with its complexities of ethics and aesthetics. The presentations will include semi-living, preserved or documented forms that include the methods involved in creation. The “Aronia Melanocarpa” is part of the Rosacea family, typically used as a food additive (for color depth) and for juice and wine especially in the region of the Great Lakes (US, Canada) and East-Central Europe. The berry contains some of the highest levels of anti-oxidants registered and has been used for its medicinal qualities including: lowering blood pressure and as an anti-inflammatory. As opposed to many other fruits & vegetables like tomatoes, corn, apples and pears, the Rosacea family has not been researched as thoroughly - its genetic makeup, for instance, has not been sequenced. This means that this artistic research will contribute to the advancement of knowledge beyond artistic bounds. Aroniacentrism! The thought was voiced and some observed a series of luminescent white triangles piercing the skin of a shiny purple Aronia M. berry. – Bartaku 7

| 2014 |

Aronia Morphing

Aronia M. Overture

| 2014 |

“Aronia M. Overture” is collaboration project by tree artists: composer Ruta Vitkauskaite (LT/UK), sound artist Karl Heinz Jeron (GER) and artist Bartaku (BE) and collaboration result was included in Riga2014 program at the project Freedom Garden final presentation. The “Aronia M. Overture” is an attempt to assist the Aronia Melanocarpa (Chokeberry) in expressing its essence and the relationship to its ambient environment. A former Soviet plantation crop on the edge of a Latvian village, that since 1991, transformed from a monoculture into a more biodiverse ecosystem. Since 2009, artist/researcher Bartaku annually explores and develops the narrative of the 1Ha Aronia M. Plantation (1HAMP) as part of his ongoing research “PhoEf: The Undisclosed Poésis of the Photovoltaic Effect”. In 2013, he met composer Ruta Vitkauskaite and sound artist Karl Heinz Jeron, and asked them if they would be interested in creating the Aronia M. Overture. The reason for composition is to introduce Aronia M. making its qualities speak through musical gestures and musical expressions for example, translate the astringency of the berry that dries out one’s mouth and closes their throat (hence, chokeberry) through the use of extended singing techniques for the creation of dry sounds.

Rīga 2014, Freedom Garden

Apple Think festival, Aizpute 9

| 2015 | BAROA BELAOBARA The Aronia morphing experiment is a consequence of Aronia’s discontent with its scientific name ‘Aronia Melanocarpa,’ observed at 1HAMP in September 2014. The new variant will have a more suitable shape that fits its nomenclature better. Also, it was sensed that the best name for the existing berry (apple) bush should be ‘Baroa Belaobara’. Bartaku is the vehicle used for executing Aronia’s will. The AM/BaBe Distrib. Labsy’ was an interpreted version of Anete’s lab space, located in the top right room of Serde’s workshop. It contained the Aronia morphing, some prop lab elements and a real flow hood with a disinfecting Soviet U.V. lamp. Anete performed an in vitro re-enactment facing fake cameras and a photo of the real 11 Smema-camera’s longing for Aronia Baroa Belaobara to blossom in May 2015 (It did not). White Suits Harvesting “Is this for performative reasons?” the white suit with Baroa juice-painted number 8 asks me. It torpedoed me back to the purple giant circle - indeed like a giant Baroa berry - on my right hip some months before, weeks after 1HAMP wanderings. It was possibly not from a tick, perhaps it was from a horsefly, perhaps now also a carrier of the Borrelia bacteria. SKIN has to be taken off via a biopsy. A start-up, University-spin off bio med lab proposed it during a meeting where we discussed the urge to mingle human pigment with Baroa pigment. The idea was to modify its relation with the sun via the human-skin, expressing the new future shape for Aronia M.

Brain reader's hidden design

| 2016 |

| 2017 |

Brain reading performance

GINTS GABRĀNS (LV) http://www.gabrans.com “Metabolic Dominance” In 2004, the US Defense Department’s, Advanced Research Projects Agency announced a competition with the aim of providing soldiers with the means of carrying out battle operations and relocating without food stores. Under the project “Metabolic Dominance” we offered genetically modified human ingestion system bacteria, which synthesize cellulose disintegrating enzymes. Cellulose is a simple sugar glucose polymer that forms plant cell walls. Cellulose disintegrating enzymes would give soldiers the chance to obtain nutrients from any available plants and timber, or, in circumstances of urban warfare, from paper. For example, if it proves possible to create a full cellulose disintegration process, 11% more kilocalories can be obtained from 100 g of paper (which contains cellulose) than from 100 g of bread (400 and 355 kcal respectively). We have already created the first bacteria of this type. Outside the human body (G.G.), bifidobacteria from its ingestion systems were genetically modified, giving them the ability to synthesize cellulose disintegrating enzymes. This was done, in collaboration with the microbiologist Jānis Liepiņš and the company GenScript (www.genscript.com). In order to prevent genetically modified bacteria from coming into contact with a soldier’s body, it is planned that biocapsules will be used which have been developed by Dr. David Loftus, Medical Director, NASA Ames Research Center. These could be custom-adapted for the requirements of this project. Dr. Loftus created the biocapsules so that transgenic organisms do not come into contact with the organism of an astronaut, keeping the synthesized molecules separated to protect astronauts from radiation. Biocapsules are made from composite carbon fiber, which is sufficiently dense to hold comparatively large synthetic organisms in the capsule, but also to be permeated by many smaller therapeutic molecules – as is the case of our project - cellulose disintegrating enzymes synthesized by transgenic bifidobacteria. “PostFOOOD” The United Nations (UN) estimates that by 2050 the number of world’s population will reach 9 billion, therefore it will be necessary to produce by 70 per cent more food. Instead of producing greater amounts of food, this project offers other solutions, studying the interaction of these new ideas with culture, the environment, and humans. The project Foood is based on the human’s (G.G.) genetic modification of metabolic bifidobacteria outside the body giving them the ability to synthesize an enzyme that can break down cellulose. Cellulose forms the cell walls of all plants. For the human metabolism, the indigestible cellulose cell wall reduces the nutritional energy value of food. Cellulose is glucose polymer of ordinary sugar. These cellulolytic enzymes would allow humans to make a third more efficient use of food from the plant world – potatoes, carrots, cabbage, etc., that contain a significant amount of material that is indigestible by humans. They would also allow the more efficient use of completely new types of food resources even, for example, cellulose containing wood and paper.

| 2014 |

PostFOOOD

| 2015 |

PostFOOOD

Mutant selection. Sculptures production.

| 2016 |

| 2017 |

SAN - virtual objects above Aizpute in augmented reality

SYLVIA GRACE BORDA (CAN/UK)

| 2015 |

http://www.sylviagborda.com Sylvia Grace Borda is applying her photographic skills to document the town of Aizpute's abandoned apple trees and small orchard holdings. As part of her mini-residency in 2015 she started to conceive of a larger conceptual artwork in which to produce a panorama based on her study photographs to run along one of the town's main roads for approximately 2 km. In this way, Sylvia is hoping to create an illusion in which the buildings seem to become a continuous apple field, and to blend the town into its natural scenery. Sylvia's overall aspiration is to create a series of apple photographs for use in the panorama mural that depict the winter, spring, summer, and autumn seasons. Her work will reference a well-known set of seasonal panels by Corot held at the National Gallery in London. Ultimately, in working with urban planners, SERDE Arts Centre, and a number of professional sign painters Sylvia will hope to transform the exterior walls of selected buildings in the historic town centre in 2016-17 to form one of the world's largest continuous photographic-like panoramas. It is hoped her proposed artwork will become a national and international icon for the area as well as a cultural destination.

Artist rendering of what an Aizpute house exterior might appear. 17

| 2016 |

Sylvia Grace Borda & John Keith Donnelly Proposal of murals along the Atmodas and Kalvenes street buildings

| 2016 |

| 2017 |

Sylvia Grace Borda & Reiner Derdau Mural on Atmodas street 11 building facade

JOANES SIMON-PERRET (FR) http://joanes-simon-perret.wixsite.com/artist Growing textile Growing textile is an installation about 4 cities where I have spent time. Riga (LV) and Marseille (FR), Aizpute (LV), the town where SERDE residency centre is based, and Montmeyrant (FR) the city where I was born. Riga and Marseille were both European Capitals of Culture (2014 and 2013), and they have approximately the same amount of population and similar size, but when you look at the satellite view of these two cities you can easily notice how different are the spaces dedicated to vegetation. Marseille has a high density of buildings, and you notice that most of the green spaces are small private gardens hidden from the street by a fence or a wall. There are also small public parks. In Riga you can find some wastelands with wild plants, which are visible from the street, some large public parks, and also some grassy spaces between the road and the pavement. If you compare Aizpute to Montmeyrant you can easily notice that the way of doing agriculture is very different. Around Montmeyrant, you find some very geometrical fields separate by few trees, and almost no forest. Near Aizpute, fields have a more organic shape, and there are also small forests and lakes all over. From these observations, I created a four-part installation where each installation is an allegory of one of the above mentioned cities or towns. On one side there is a handicraft woven textile with also some other objects inserted within (for example, branches, grass, leaves, plastic bags and also other objects associated to these cities). In addition, there are some seeds introduced into weaving. Furthermore, the weaving associated to "Riga" have been weaved by Riga's citizen themselves during an open workshop. The second side of each part is made with some objects that reflects these cities: local brand advertising, postcards, toy cars, giants flowers, pieces of wood and all kinds of objects found around specific areas. I put some seeds everywhere into the installation that grow thanks to an automatic watering system. The watering system is built with plastic bottles, and second hand pipes. The makeshift system runs for five minutes every hour and transform the installations in a funny fountain. During 2 months, the plants grew, bloomed and died through textiles and objects, slowly changing the installation over time. Matisa Market Little Model The Meat department building of Matissa Market is an unused building in the recent years. Gradually the walls crumbled, the roof sprang leaks, the windows fall apart. Looking closely, I saw that more than 20 species of plants were growing in the building. Mosses, grasses, and young trees are growing on the walls and cracks of the building. Nature begins to reassert itself over the city. I decided to build this model with brittle materials such as cardboard, paper, and install some seeds of different species. The quick growth of the plants transform the model and change the time and sizes scales. The bean plant which is grown in a week becomes a tree through the roof and cress seeds become bushes. Through this installation, the slow movement of nature is recreated in accelerated form, and invites us to ask ourselves about the place that we give to plants in our life. 21

| 2014 |

Growing textile (at the Riga2014)

| 2014 |

Matisa Market Little Model (at the Riga2014)

The garden's Thieves-trap

| 2015 |

This sculpture is related to my first experience in SERDE. I was walking in an allotment garden when an angry guy came to scold me in Latvian because he thought I was a thief. With the language difficulties it was hard to explain him that I was a French artist just looking for inspiration in those gardens. Finally, he understood me and I noticed how important gardens are for Latvians. It's not only a peaceful place, it's also a way of sustenance. For that reason, they are very careful with them and protect it against every aggression! Consequently I made this huge trap to protect their gardens and catch thieves.

| 2015 |

Human interventions vs natural landscape

This time in SERDE's residency, I focused on human interventions on the natural landscape. I looked at the Latvian countryside and noticed how close to nature this culture still is. Many people are growing their own vegetables to eat. The agriculture lands are usually small and are often a bit patchy because of the avoidance of fertiliser utilisation. With this special view, I felt very strange to find an electric pole in the middle of a field or an iron traffic sign just next to a gardening plot. By the simplest intervention of painting and photographing on those objects I made them disappear in their landscapes and show the contradiction of the human interventions on nature. Then I played with this idea by painting directly on natural elements and by this game, brought out the nonsense of human interventions.

Seasons machine of Aizpute

| 2017 |

FRONTIERS IN RETREAT

SERDE: INCUBATOR

[September 10 - 13, 2015]

CULTURAL HERITAGE AS RESOURCE

Cultural Heritage as Resource (elaboration by Andrew Gryf Paterson)

Cultural heritage includes inherited artefacts, attributes, and systems from a particular locale, group or society that are passed on from past generations, maintained through actions in the present, and given over for the benefit of future generations. There are three forms of heritage to consider here: • Tangible Culture (buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, artefacts, art) • Intangible Culture (folklore, traditional ways of doing, language, stories, knowledge) • Natural heritage (ecosystem and biodiversity) Interdisciplinary art group SERDE's work and activity has been largely inspired by, and based upon these different aspects of cultural heritage noted above, and has included collaborations to explore human inter-relations with the local plant-environment and biodiversity. The following paragraphs give examples. The site of SERDE's art and residency centre is one of the oldest wooden buildings in Aizpute, and has been restored since 2002 by SERDE as both practical and pedagogical work in traditional construction methods. This work alone was recently recognised as a significant contribution to regional tangible cultural heritage. One of the first material installations they made in the town in the early years was an outdoor kiln for firing ceramics, according local tradition. Since 2007 they have also hosted an iron-casting symposium gathering local and international sculptors and metal-workers. So, development of physical infrastructure and workshops for making artefacts and art objects – wood, metal, ceramic – have developed in hand with the practice and enabling traditions of making and doing, inviting younger and established artists and makers to get involved. Further, the ways of doing of local people and regional ethnic communities, including narratives of experiences have been documented in artist-led ethnographic expeditions and published in the Tradīciju Burtnīca (Exercise/Notebooks of Traditions) publication series. To give examples of maker and project developments, the earliest publication Brandava gatavošana Viduskurzemē [Moonshine/vodka making in Central Kurzeme] and related public demonstrations led towards a national innovation award in intangible cultural heritage in 2007. This work inspired a practice-led investigation into micro-brewing with local producers (Alus gatavošana [Beer brewing], 2009), and the development of new workshop facilities, and hosting gatherings of regional micro-brewers. Another publication, Vācēju kultūra Viduskurzemē / Foraging in Central Kurzeme (2010), documented the use of local plants and fungi in the region, a reflection of the human value of the biodiversity in the region still appreciated by some residents. This led to the ongoing artistic-research project 1 Ha Aronia Melanocarpa Power Plantation (2011-) by Bartaku, in collaboration with SERDE, which harvested Aronia berries and processed them into liquids (wine, beer, syrup) and foods (candy, jam) according to traditional and experimental methods or recipes; but has also inspired an experimental musical overture presented in Riga Capital of Culture 2014 programme. These processes encourage the idea that cultural heritage can be not only an inspiration, but a source of both tangible and intangible material, as well as a knowledge-resource for artistic works or artist-led or grassroots investigations. Artists, craft-persons, makers, and cultural workers can contribute in the innovative re-valuing of cultural heritage, by developing alternative or new ways of developing, sharing and communicating heritage, including new formats such as participatory and informal or recreational learning workshops. In doing so, it nourishes collaboration between artists, cultural associations with other researchers, professionals, small-scale entrepreneurs, as well as ennobles local residents and citizens who hold and maintain traditional knowledge and ways of doing. 27

Resources are understood here as materials, services, skills, energy, talent, ability, knowledge or other assets, which are utilised to support and produce benefit, not only to individuals and associations, but larger communities such as municipalities, regions or wider groups of people. With this background in mind, the 'Cultural Heritage as Resource' event from September 10-13th 2015, in Aizpute gathers together persons from various disciplines — arts, design, science, heritage — to share and explore practice and methods. It has long been said that culture is developed from some abundance or surplus in the society or environment. Coincidently, the occasion of gathering also takes place at the time of the annually-hosted Āboļošana (AppleThink) public event since 2012, where SERDE's residency artists and guests mix with local producers and craft-persons who share their products, both apple-based and otherwise. Apples (and Aronia berries) are an abundant local resource at this time of year and have associated traditions and ways of processing and conserving, for example juicing, preserving with sugar or fermenting to cider or wine. The gathering also takes place in the context of the HIAP-led 'Frontiers in Retreat' programme, which promotes the "necessity of multi-disciplinary approaches to the current ecological concerns and aims to develop means and platforms for this through methods of contemporary art". It is an occasion to extend into a wider interpretation of cultural heritage as resource — going beyond the tangible and intangible — to take into account natural heritage (ecosystems and biodiversity) which includes both Biotic (living things that make up an ecosystem) and Abiotic (non-living factors, eg. water, light, radiation, temperature, humidity, atmosphere, soil, stone) aspects. The interrelationships and dependences of these resources are also the conditions of life that we inherited from those who have come before us, that we maintain, or not, and that we pass on to those who will follow us in the future as previously or not. Cultural heritage focuses our attention on the care and concern for the material and immaterial things that humans share in our environment, and the passing on of life-ways. It is sensitive to the sustainability of cultures and practices of value over longer durations of time. Conservation and stewardship provide ethics of responsible planning and management of resources, accepting or assigning responsibility to shepherd and safeguard the valuables of others. There is what Simon Thurley describes as a Heritage Cycle (2005), which gives an indication of how we can make the past part of our future: “By understanding (cultural heritage), people value it; By valuing it, people want to care for it; By caring for it, it will help people enjoy it; From enjoying it, comes a thirst to understand; By understanding it…” and so it goes round. Reference Simon Thurley, Into the future. Our strategy for 2005-2010. In: Conservation Bulletin [English Heritage], 2005 (49).

Incubator Day 1 The day started by introductions the hosts (SERDE) and the Frontiers in Retreat framework (FiR) of gathering by Jenni Nurmenniemi from HIAP, followed then with a programme with art-science and non-human focus. The first part of the day included a history of RIXC research-led art investigations in-between many fields by Rasa Smite; while yeast-researcher Janis Liepiņš spoke of his work with artist Gints Gabrāns in his postFOOOD project exploring alternative food solutions in collaboration with Acetobater xylinum bacteria; In-vitro biologist Anete Borodušķe followed with her collaborative research with FiR resident artist Bartaku and Ariona melanocarpa. After lunch, Bartaku shared a postcard-resume of his work in Aizpute with 1HAMP, the aronia plantation on the edge of town, leading to the opening of a temp. lab installation illustrating new growth. We all then went on a field trip to the plants themselves for closer communion, insight and some cooperative harvesting. The evening was hosted kindly at Imants Lepsis's juicing-factory at Valtaiķi, with demonstrations of juicing, sterilisation and tasty consumptions in-between dinner.

Jenni Nurmenniemi presentation from HIAP

Cultural Heritage as Resource

Jānis Liepiņs

Anete Borodušķe 30

Incubator Day 1

Exhibition PostFOOOD. Gints Gabrāns

Exhibition PostFOOOD. Gints Gabrāns 31

Cultural Heritage as Resource

Aronia laboratory and performance. Bartaku 32

Incubator Day 2 Focused on cross-overs between artist-led cultural heritage work, social science and activism. It started with an introduction to the framework for NGOs working with UNESCO convention Intangible Cultural Heritage framework provided by Latvian Academy of Culture researcher Anita Vaivade. Signe Pucena (SERDE) and Andrew Gryf Paterson presented intuitive artist/heritage-activist-led heritage including participatory/collaborative documentations about Herbologies, Kandža and Pig Funeral. Anna Karpenko, social scientist from Kaliningrad, shared with us the example of Соседи/Sąsiedzi/Kaimynai festival in Rominta forest, crossing-RU-PL-LT borders and ennobling local happiness. FiR artist Sylvia Grace Borda gave a whirlwind tour of her many projects which aim to add value and legacy to local economies and communities, including East Kilbride and Huntly in Scotland, as well as negotiating contemporary interventions of agriculture and animal husbandry onto Google Street View in Canada and Finland. FiR resident artist Joanes Simon-Perret led us through his micro-garden allotments and multi-urban material weave installations, towards a walk to Dzintra and Ilmars' beautiful allotment Eden, where we uprooted the beetroot plot, harvested the pig-beans, and enjoyed a feast of sour-leaf soup, smoked chicken and salads. Later into the evening we visited Arturs Lapka, Jānis Kreicburgs initiative in town to transform an industrial sour-cabbage factory into a social and project space.

Presentation by Anna Karpenko

Cultural Heritage as Resource

Sylvia Grace Borda

Presentation by Joanes Simon-Perret

Incubator Day 2

Harvesting

Incubator participants at allotment garden

Cultural Heritage as Resource

Hemp-Camp

Incubator Day 3 Āboļošana (AppleThink) day, the art and craft market hosted by SERDE now for the 4th year, also included this year as part of Kultūras diena Aizputē (Aizpute Cultural Day). Although apples were the spark of inspiration, the backyard filled up with producers' tables and stalls, including: Free pancakes and fried-sugered apple by SERDE's Ance Ausmane and Ance Kvasnikova, a local piparkukas & pie table, plus a local wood-craft stall with toys and kitchen utensils, ceramics by Ieva Bertašiūtė-Grosbaha (iBerta), harvest-conservation demonstration by Una Smilgaine, Imants Lepsis's juices and antihelikon jam, Aizpute eco-winery (ekovins.lv) 's fruit wine-tasting table & apple-juicing machine, live singing by Atštaukas folklore group from Liepāja, aronia-berry shooting, a crazy professor act, demonstration of moonshine production, and T-shirt printing by youth house IDEJU MĀJA. Inside SERDE, a musical fairytale performance ("Rainis lielais bļāviens. Saules zaķēnu dejas!") by local children and adults took place. While after outside, SERDE's buildings were ceremonially added to the national heritage protection list (coincidently on European Heritage days 2015). FiR resident artist Anna Rubio Llambi made a creative-movement performance on/around, essentially in collaboration with the large tree that stands in the small park behind SERDE's workshop building, accompanied by piano improvisation from Rihards Plesanovs (She later explained her approach in presentation, showing other works). The festival-market atmosphere ended in the backyard with a 1-man/1-hour aronia mash-up in a barrel (functional dancing) to the sounds of tango-beats, blues and finally disco. Aizputes vīna darītava cellar under the town museum was the final stop for the FiR group, where Martins and Varis Sants offered further degustations and knowledge/experience sharing until darkness fell and animated chats bounced around louder and louder.

Cultural heritage sign opening

Cultural Heritage as Resource

Intangible cultural heritage workshop. Jam making.

Intangible cultural heritage workshop on pancakes and baking apples.

Incubator Day 3

AtĹĄtaukas performance

Shoothing atraction with aronia berries

Anna Rubio

Cultural Heritage as Resource

Idea House workshop

Performance by Aizpute Music school

IZSTĀDE // EXHIBITION

Nomales efekts // Edge Effects IZSTĀDE SERDES PAGALMĀ, ATMODAS 9, AIZPUTĒ Exhibition in SERDE yard Atmodas 9, Aizpute Aroniju lauks Aronia field Ābeļu dārzs Apple yard

SERDE

Kartē atzīmētas vietas, kas iedvesmojušas māksliniekus. Map shows the places where artists got inspiration from.

Exhibition Edge Effects draws together the results of the research and production residencies and the adjacent incubators in a concluding exhibition. SERDE curated and hosted an open air exhibition with collection of artists Joanes Simon-Perret, Bartaku, Anna Rubio, Gints GabrÄ ns, Sylvia Grace Borda works for the period from 2014 - 2017.

Artist texts: Anna Rubio, Bartaku, Gints Gabrāns, Joanes Simon-Perret, Sylvia Grace Borda SERDE Incubator texts: Andrew Gryf Paterson Text editing: Forest Kvasikoff, Ance Kvasnikova Frontiers in Retreat project text: HIAP Photos: Eli Garmendia, Signe Pucena, Ance Ausmane, Varis Sants, Sylvia Grace Borda, Joanes Simon-Perret, Kadri Toom, Bartaku, Ritvars Skuja, Iveta Pērkone, Kati Hyyppa. Design and layout: Ance Ausmane Exhibition concept an realization Uģis Pucens Residencies and events organization Signe Pucena, Uģis Pucens, Ance Ausmane

Residencies and Incubator programme in Latvia is organised by Interdisciplinary Art Group SERDE Atmodas iela 9 LV-3456 Aizpute Latvija serde.lv facebook.com/SERDE vimeo.com/smgserde issuu.com/smg.serde

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