Sunday, May 20th, 7 PM
SP Weather Station and Observatory present:
Over the Rainbow, Under the Radar:
Electromagnetic Infrastructure and Outpost Architecture in the Arctic
Lecture and audiovisual presentation by Charles Stankievech
Observatory
543 Union Street at Nevins Street, Brooklyn (directions below)
$5 suggested donation
Over the Rainbow, Under the Radar is an audiovisual presentation of Charles Stankievech’s experience of the Arctic as a hybrid zone of brute reality and fantasy projection. Combining archival material, scientific theories, geopolitical maps and the artist’s own fieldworks, the lecture engages ideas of military colonialism and communication technology embedded in the sublime landscape. Stemming from Stankievech’s time living in Northern Canada and travelling to remote military outposts, Over the Rainbow draws from primary research ranging from his visit to the archives at Massachusetts’s Institute of Technology as well as a residency with the Canadian Department of National Defense at the northernmost settlement in the world (the Signals Intelligence Station ALERT). The resulting material includes images and video taken by the artist published by NASA and commissioned by the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, as well as shown in museums and galleries from Palais de Toyko, Paris to the Musee d’art Contemporain in Montréal. The lecture was originally commissioned for the Phyllis Lambert Seminar 2011 at Université de Montréal.
About Charles Stankievech:
Charles Stankievech is an artist who creates “fieldworks.” His diverse body of work has been shown at such places as the Palais de Toyko (Paris), International Symposium on Electronic Arts (ISEA2010, Germany), Xth Biennale of Architecture(Venice), Eyebeam + ISSUE Project Room (New York), the Musee d’art contemporain Montreal and the Canadian Centre for Architecture. He has curated such unorthodox exhibitions as Magnetic Norths, A Wake For St. Kippenberger’s MetroNet, and the series OVER THE WIRE with Lawrence Weiner, Gary Hill, Tim Hecker, Centre for Land Use Interpretation, Lize Mogel and others. His writings have been included in academic journals, such as Leonardo Music Journal (MIT Press) and 306090(Princeton Architectural Press), artist’s catalogues and translated into several languages. Stankievech holds an MFA in Open Media with a thesis on sound and architecture and a previous critical theory thesis on Slavoj Žižek and Franz Kafka. He currently is artist-in-residence with the Canadian Department of National Defense with a sortie to CFS ALERT—northernmost settlement in the world and active signals intelligence station. Upcoming projects include a public art commission by the government of Washington, D.C., the exhibition Oh, Canada at MASSMoCA, and artist-in-residence at Marfa, Texas. A founding faculty member of the Yukon School of Visual Arts in Dawson City, Stankievech splits his spacetime between the Yukon and Berlin.
About Observatory and SP Weather Station:
Observatory is an art and events space in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Founded in February 2009 and run by a group of seven artists and bloggers, the space seeks to present programming inspired by the 18th century notion of “rational amusement” and is especially interested in topics residing at the interstices of art and science, history and curiosity, magic and nature. The space hosts screenings, lectures, classes, and exhibitions, and is part of the Proteus Gowanus art complex. For more information: observatoryroom.org
Co-founded by artists Natalie Campbell and Heidi Neilson in 2007, SP Weather Station is an interdisciplinary project that collects weather data, hosts a Guest Lecture Series, and organizes weather-related publications, events, and exhibitions. As an informal umbrella organization, SPWS invites participation from many other artists, groups, and weather enthusiasts, while maintaining a rooftop station base at Flux Factory in Long Island City, New York. For more information: spweatherstation.net
Detailed Directions:
Observatory is located at 543 Union Street at Nevins St., in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The entrance is currently through Proteus Gowanus gallery, in the alley off Nevins St.
R train to Union Street in Brooklyn: Walk two long blocks on Union (towards the Gowanus Canal) to Nevins Street. 543 Union Street is the large red brick building on right. Go right on Nevins and left down alley through large black gates. Proteus Gowanus is the second door on the left.
F or G train to Carroll Street: Walk one block to Union. Turn right, walk two long blocks on Union towards the Gowanus Canal, cross the bridge, take left on Nevins, go down the alley to Proteus Gowanus, the second door on the left.
Image: Das Eismeer aus Licht, NASA Astronomy Photo of the Day, Feb 8, 2011. © Charles Stankievech + Anna Sophie Springer, 2011