Reading the Earth

The catalyst for Reading the Earth is the current ecological crisis, which poses major challenges for humans worldwide. At the centre of the exhibition is an interactive interpretation of the Earth, of the country and its inhabitants.

The thread is taken up by the microbiologist Lynn Margulis and the biophysicist James Lovelock, who introduced the concept of a symbiotic Earth, Gaia, into science in the 1970s. Gaia sets the horizon of a new experimental exploration of the current conditions of our existence.

RICH NATURE AND UNIQUE VENUS FINDINGS

Since the Palaeolithic age, humans have been attracted by Lower Austria’s particularly rich nature—several findings of worldwide unique Venus figurines back up this particular draw.

Following up on this, the artist Elisabeth von Samsonow has mapped the Country of the Dissident Goddesses. The country was founded by a collective of people involved in culture and arts in Pulkautal near Alberndorf in Lower Austria. Elisabeth von Samsonow presents performance photographs of great actions that involved artists, winemakers, hunters, the municipal band, and the local youth. She also displays soil samples and portraits of the locally found microorganisms.

LONG TERM RESEARCH PROJECT

Reading the Earth emerges from the perrenial research project The Dissident Goddesses Network run by the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in cooperation with Forum Morgen. The results of the research will be shared in a research lounge as part of the exhibition.

With works and contributions by: Arantzazu Arregi Saratxaga, Ida-Marie Corell, Alma Heikkilä, Federica Matta, Angela Melitopoulos, Romana Schuler, Elisabeth von Samsonow

Curator: Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein