workshop 2019
(in)visible encounters
The microbial Wels landscape invites us to broaden our view, by zooming in it seeks to blur borders, endeavouring to see relationships between different people grow together.
All people have the same, inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms from birth.(1)
No-one may be discriminated against on the basis of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, age, language, wealth, etc.(2)
Participants in the project took microbiological samples from places of encounters which had personal significance for them. These microbes were applied to a large breeding ground on the Wels city map (which allows the visible growth of microbes), thus showing their personal contribution to an initially invisible cityscape of Wels. Over time, the microbes collected will begin to become visible. Individual experiences will become a communal experience, which, after a while, will no longer reveal any borders. When the microbes become visible, as they continue to grow, the place of the individual encounter becomes our Wels, the city in which we live and which connects all of us with one another.
'(Un)sichtbare Begegnungen' is the result of a workshop held over two weeks. The project was presented during 'The night of churches (Lange Nacht der Kirchen)' at the Marienkirche in Wels, Austria. It is a project initiated by Manuel Selg (molecular biologist living in Wels) and Sonja Bäumel (Austrian artist living in Amsterdam). Besides the importance of human rights, this project is driven by motives such as diversity, inclusivity, inspiring participants (i.e. pupils) to work together on projects (outside school) and to achieve a togetherness, in which new encounters and relationships can grow. Furthermore, the project also aims at interdisciplinary co-operations in schools, e.g. between art and biology classes.
(1) Allgemeine Erklärung der Menschenrechte (pdf)
(2) Bedeutung der Menschenrechte (website)
All people have the same, inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms from birth.(1)
No-one may be discriminated against on the basis of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, age, language, wealth, etc.(2)
Participants in the project took microbiological samples from places of encounters which had personal significance for them. These microbes were applied to a large breeding ground on the Wels city map (which allows the visible growth of microbes), thus showing their personal contribution to an initially invisible cityscape of Wels. Over time, the microbes collected will begin to become visible. Individual experiences will become a communal experience, which, after a while, will no longer reveal any borders. When the microbes become visible, as they continue to grow, the place of the individual encounter becomes our Wels, the city in which we live and which connects all of us with one another.
'(Un)sichtbare Begegnungen' is the result of a workshop held over two weeks. The project was presented during 'The night of churches (Lange Nacht der Kirchen)' at the Marienkirche in Wels, Austria. It is a project initiated by Manuel Selg (molecular biologist living in Wels) and Sonja Bäumel (Austrian artist living in Amsterdam). Besides the importance of human rights, this project is driven by motives such as diversity, inclusivity, inspiring participants (i.e. pupils) to work together on projects (outside school) and to achieve a togetherness, in which new encounters and relationships can grow. Furthermore, the project also aims at interdisciplinary co-operations in schools, e.g. between art and biology classes.
(1) Allgemeine Erklärung der Menschenrechte (pdf)
(2) Bedeutung der Menschenrechte (website)
- collaboration
- Anton Achleitner, Christoph Affenzeller, Anonym, Elena Attwenger, Emma Auböck, Sonja Bäumel, Monika Blaimschein, Blindeneder, Olivia Brandl, Anna Daucher, Laura Deixler, Benedikt Eckerstorfer, Marlene Falkensteiner, Andrea Gennari, Julia Greifeneder, Simon Grimm, Alex, Sophia, Julia Gold, Andrea Guerra und Julia G, Daniel Lachner, Irmgard Lehner, Mathilde Lepschy, Marlene Hackl-Lehner, Vanessa Haider, Felix Jetzinger, Alex Jung, Rosa Kempl, Jakob Kerbl-Knapp, Lena Kraml, Kunczer, Patricia Leitner, Sarah Pichler, Emil Pirklhuber, Leonie Pohn, René Prinz-Toifl, Jana Puser, Michael Putz, Mike Rokytansky, Gregor Sattler, Claudia Schallauer, Katharina Schick Karin Salzinger, Cornelia, Manuel, Xaver, Jakob, Oskar Selg, Felix Seper, M. Stiglhuber, Martin Söser, Tanja Schütt, Viktoria Theuerkauf, Kevin Trenzinger, Hedwig Viehböck, Chiara, Lucia Weber, Martin Zöpfl.
- photographer
- Simon Haase
- support
- Gratitude goes to the support of the community of the Marienkirche.
Provision and editing of the Wels city map: Martin Zöpfl