FUTURE OF WATER
Call for proposals
Science Gallery at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, is seeking
proposals for an upcoming major exhibition and series of workshops and
events on the theme FUTURE OF WATER.
Call opens: Friday 17 June 2011
Call closes: Friday 15 July 2011
Exhibition duration: 20 October 2011 – 20 January 2012
Application form: http://www.sciencegallery.com/futureofwater
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Calling all armchair hydrologists, liquid artists, part-time
diviners, fluid technologists and steamy scientists! This October
Science Gallery asks ‘what is the future of water?’. This theme will
form the basis for a major exhibition and series of events at the
Science Gallery, to run from October 2011 till January 2012.
Water is a potentially all-encompassing theme – from the amazing
physical properties of water, to its destructive and life-giving power
in nature, and its role in both human development and conflict. It flows
through us, as blood, sweat and tears. It is venerated, coveted,
spoiled and fought over. It has as many meanings and functions as it has physical forms; we regularly encounter water as liquid, solid and
vapour. Water can be soothing, an instrument of healing, accelerated
through water cannon as a weapon, or used to cut rock and metal. One
billion people lack access to it in its most valuable form, as clean
drinking water. Clean water is running out – and around the world it is
used as a weapon of power and a tool in political conflict.
What innovations might help us to acquire new sources of water, or
help us to conserve it? What is our relationship to water? What will a
water-scarce future look like? What creative ways are there of
envisaging this? With Dublin facing likely water shortages in the coming
decades, the exhibition could help audiences to inform and involve
themselves in the complex global and local issues around water, and the
choices this city is likely to face in the near future. How can the
works on exhibition link the local to the global?
The exhibition will include existing and proposed innovations and
inventions around water, artworks on the theme of water, and artifacts
that reveal the different ways in which water is used and perceived of.
The exhibition will extend beyond the gallery through workshops, events
and off-site projects. Alongside artwork, designed objects and
documentary artifacts, FUTURE OF WATER will include special live
performances, innovative installations, unique physical and mental
experiences, high-profile talks, discussions and debates, web-focused
interactions, games and collaborative experience.
We invite proposals that look at the cultural and social aspects of
water, at the relationship of first world to developing world, at
narratives of the future, designed objects and systems for water,
provocative inquiries into water as a commodity versus a common good,
water as energy, ‘virtual water’, and water in the city. Proposals might
play on the bodies of water in and around Dublin, as well as
internationally, and may make use of the distinctive architecture of
Science Gallery, for example its glass façade onto Pearse Street. For
images of Science Gallery’s layout and architecture, please see http://www.sciencegallery.com/hire
Science Gallery welcomes proposals for both existing and new work
from artists, designers, engineers, scientists and everyone in between,
in any and all media.
Submitted projects will be evaluated on criteria including: relevance
to the theme (FUTURE OF WATER), science and technology interest,
artistic interest, potential to engage a broad public with the
exhibition theme, track record of the participants, costs, and ability
to deliver the project.
Each project needs to delivered within a maximum budget of up to
€7,000, however a higher budget may be made available in exceptional
circumstances. Previously, many participating artists have secured
financial support from local arts and government sources or other
funding bodies. Science Gallery is happy to help with letters of support
if needed.
Please note that if you are proposing an event or workshop, it is
Science Gallery's standard policy not to pay fees to event participants
or organisers beyond travel and accommodation. Our budget for events
is considerably smaller than that for exhibitions, therefore
cost-effective events, or events with potential to cost-cover through
ticket sales (or other income streams) are more likely to be accepted.
We are also looking for digital proposals. If your idea is a
web-based or mobile phone application, or can be reworked digitally,
then let us know.
Submissions must be received no later than Friday 15 July
2011 to be considered for inclusion. Science Gallery will contact those selected for inclusion by 1 August 2011.
To submit your proposal and find more information please use the form on the FUTURE OF WATER website at http://www.sciencegallery.com/futureofwater
Please feel free to forward this announcement or a link to this page - http://www.sciencegallery.com/futureofwater - to other forums and individuals, and please contact us at ralph.borland@sciencegallery.com if you would like to suggest projects or people for the exhibition.
FUTURE OF WATER at Science Gallery is part of a larger 3-year
international project, StudioLab, funded under the Framework 7
programme, with partners including Harvard University’s Idea Translation Lab, Media Lab Prado, Ars Electronica, the Royal College of Art, London and Le Laboratoire, Paris.