A Plant

Bratislava is continually actively supporting its city greenery. Being developed in several programs, urban vegetation is considered a priority in the city administration. Bratislava is one of the greenest capitals in the world, since only few capitals are surrounded by forests. Compared to other metropolises, the forests can be reached very quickly here. Vegetation performs important functions in the city, reducing dust and noise pollution, creating a favourable microclimate, cooling the streets and increasing humidity, and having a positive effect on mental well-being. Therefore, in cooperation with various organisations, we decided to reflect together on its functions. The aim of the Kunsthalle Bratislava’s program A PLANT  is to highlight the importance of urban greenery, especially in the context of the climate crisis, to draw attention to it, as well as to contribute to its improvement and protection. The intention is to implement projects of local and international artists and curators in cooperation with experts in the field of urban greenery directly in situ. The program will focus on the areas where this agenda is most dealt with in Bratislava, such as: Botanical Garden, Janko Kráľ Park, Karlova Ves Bay, urban forests and meadows, settlements and parks. The program in 2022 consists of 5 events taking place during the most active growing season, between May and October. We will work with topics such as mitigating the impact of the climate crisis in the city through urban greenery, invasive plants, botanic gardens as colonial structures, etc. The first from these events is a symposium, entitled: A View from the Edge of the Pasture.

 

A View from the Edge of the Pasture

Three-day symposium on a shared knowledge on ecological urban pastoralism.

Curated by Edith Jeřábková and Denisa Langrová

The symposium is co-organised by tranzit.sk

 

Can we learn something from our pastoral history? When we say pastoral, the poetry, love and religion come to our mind? Pastoral is based on the polarity of Culture and Nature and its fundamental motif is hostility to urban life. What would pastoral be without this dichotomy? From the permacultural knowledge we have learned that the edges are the most diverse areas, they comprise elements from each bordering territory. How do we see the city from the pasture and vice versa? What will happen if we blur the borderlines between them? Where do we find shepherds these days? Do they have answers to our climate troubles? Where are their herds and what are they like? What would the pastoral society look like? This event will present us with a collective imagination about the future of animals and humans on the grazing lands around our cities.

 

Programme:

 

12. 5. WORKSHOP OF PASTORAL SHARING – tranzit.sk, BA

15:00 - Introduction to the topic of pastoralism, only for the students from the participating art schools

Edith Jeřábková and Denisa Langrová, Lýdia Pribišová, curators (EN)

16:00 - Knowledge sharing on the topic with students (EN)

19.00 - Online lecture by Fernando García-Dory, Facebook live (EN)

 

13. 5. PROGRAMME AT PASTURE  - Geological  Museum, Devín, Bratislava

11:00 - Joint event of the students at Pasture #1 (to be arranged by the students) (EN)

13:00 - Workshop with sounds: Ida Tausch + Denisa Langrova (artists) + lunch (EN) / for the students only

14:00 - Paleontological Pasture: Martin Vlačiky, paleontologist

16:00 - Urban Pastoralism: excursion to the BROZ pasture with Filip Rovný, BROZ (SK + EN transl)

18:00 - Prague pasture on pasture in Bratislava: Martina Skohoutilová (SK + EN transl)

19:00 - Discussion with representatives of the Prague and Bratislava pastures and the city of Bratislava: Andrej Deveček, BROZ and Dušan Vacek, Department of Urban Greenery of the City of Bratislava

moderated by Edith Jeřábková + Lydia Pribišová (SK + CZ + EN transl)

20:30 - Pastoral concert: DJ Ida Tausch

 

14. 5. PROGRAMME AT THE BROZ PASTURE - Geological  Museum, Devín, Bratislava

11:00 - Pastoral therapy: Tereza Porybná, curator and yoga teacher (EN)

12:00 - Joint action of students/teachers in the pasture #2 (EN)

14:00 - Queer pastoralism: Alex Sihelská (EN)

15:00 - About pastoralism: Gabriela Fatková, anthropologist (CZ + EN transl)

17:00 - Reading of the Pastoralist Almanach (CZ + EN transl)

19:00 - Pastoral poetry: Mariana Serranová, curator and writer (multi language)

 

PINK WHALE, Danube coast

21:00 - Pastoral cinema + introduction: Tereza Porybná, curator (EN)

 

PARTICIPANTS:

Students from the University of Applied Arts (Department of Site-Specific Art), Vienna; Academy of Art, Architecture and Design (Studio of Fine Arts I (Sculpture), Prague; Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Studio of Intermedia), Bratislava; Faculty of Fine Arts (Body Design Studio), Brno.

 

In case of bad weather, all events (except the screening at PINK WHALE) will take place in the exhibiton space A HALL at Kunsthalle Bratislava.