ecotonal listening

2022, merel maan galama

forgotten space
lonely space
collective space
mobile space
changing space
green space
space in nature
nurturing space
open space
creating space

Putting art again and again in the white cube is creating a monoculture of the medium and how we consume it. Therefore, it is important that art enters various conditions with uncontrollable variables to create unfamiliar situations and new encounters. I propose to create spatial strategies to inhabit those various conditions by looking at ecology. Because ecology studies the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. Imagining an exhibition space as one ecosystem can give greater insight into the relations within the exhibition space. However, it does not ensure new encounters and situations. It is therefore important in my practice, to bring different ecosystems together. Within ecology, when two ecosystems meet, there is a zone of junction or transition which is called an ecotone. If it is possible to travel across the border between the ecosystems, and there are changes in the environmental conditions of the ecotone, we call this the edge effect. The greater the possibility for changes of the population and structures within the ecotone, the greater the edge effect. The greater the edge effect, the greater the biodiversity.

An inspiring example of creating a ecotone, is Paptisto Boy’s factory mural in Belaire. Paptisto Boy brought his art to an unconventional space where he used materials he found on sight. He could discuss his art with passersby’s and where the rain in the raining season obliterated his work. In his practice, Paptisto Boy brought the ecosystems of environmental based materials and art outside together, which invited uncontrollable variables such as the variable of the rain and the new encounters with passerby’s. Paptisto Boy’s constantly changing mural(s) became a ecotone.

The question remains: how I can change my methods to observe ecosystems of and outside an exhibition space? The concept of pilgrimage of Maria Lugones refined my view on how a I can change my methods of observing too understand the possibility of amplifying ecotones. From my experience as cultural anthropologist, the concept of pilgrimage is a way to break with the idea observing objectively and opens up a space of moving with- by listening. Because pilgrimage stresses the importance of moving with people who release the grip of institutional, structural, descriptions and by understanding their intention of direction through the movement of desires, beliefs and signs. In the sense of ecosystems, it is therefore important to observe the already existing movements, by listening to the desire, beliefs and signs. I would therefore, in my strategy, continue with practices of creating ecotones in three ways. Firstly, observing existing ecosystems and defining new ones. Secondly, listen to desires, belief and signs. Lastly, to bring different ecosystems together or amplifying already existing ecotones.

Bringing different ecosystems to the exhibition space is often done before. Land Art for example opened up the monoculture of the white cube by bringing a site-specific and ephemeral artwork to a landscape. However, land art is often a radical intervention in a landscape and not moving with existing ecosystems. By not observing ecosystems one is not allowing oneself to move with ecosystem. Hence, not listening to already existing movements does not create biodiversity driven ecotones. Ecotones are thus a space where different ecosystems meet and where there is a possibility to travel across the border. When observing the already existing movements such as desires, beliefs and signs between the ecosystems, one is listening to these movements. Acting upon the formulation of ecosystems by amplifying existing movements is a space of ecotonal listening.

I therefore invite the concept of ecotonal listening into my spatial practice with open arms, because ecotonal listening determines my actions and underlines the responsibility I hold to create a biodiversity of sustainable cultural and social differences.