S06E01: Green Fields | Subsurface
About this activity.
WORK PERIOD: JULY 17 – AUGUST 18
OPENING: SEPTEMBER 10, 13:00
SHOW: SEPTEMBER 10 – OCTOBER 7 (WEEKENDS 12:00 – 17:00)
SET AT: KULTUUREILAND – DAMSTERWEG, STEENDAM
What are the remains of the recently closed gas extraction sites, what is the process of clearing, who owns risk and what are the stories that have emerged over time?
For the first time, the resort is moving into the province of Groningen. The Groningen art initiative always focuses on available space for art in public space and travels to various public places to respond to the function it has within (local) society. So too now. To what extent is there space for people and nature in the gas extraction file? Which interests are paramount and what are the consequences?
This summer, three artists stayed at the resort to develop new work on the grounds of Kultuureiland, a nature reserve opposite the recently closed Siddeburen gas extraction site. During the residency, the artists delved into various facets of gas extraction. The exhibition 'Green Fields | Subsurface', which opens on 10 September, seeks to disrupt the narratives created about the energy transition on micro and macro scales.
The exhibition
The exhibition 'Green Fields | Subsurface' is a mix of installations with sound, textual sculptures and performance that takes place on the Kultuureiland in Steendam. Located opposite gas extraction site Siddeburen and on top of the Groningen gas field, the exhibition shows a dialogue with the elusive nature of gas as a raw material, and with the earthquakes caused by decades of gas extraction.
Throughout a residency period of one month, Alec Mateo, Artun Alaska Arasli, and Noa-Marthe Prins explored regional exhaustion in the wake of gas exploitation, with a particular focus on linguistic nuances, agency-dynamics and risk-ownership.Situated between the laborious process of structurally closing all Groningen gasmines and rapidly emerging “green” energy industries, their works attempt to tremble the narratives and climate-affects of this transition on both micro- and macro scales.
The exhibition offers a site-specific walking route alongside the artists’ works and the decommissioned gasmine, making (more) tangible the abstract exploitation of gas on the one hand and inviting you to build new relations to the green land and its subsurface on the other.
Opening Programme 10 September
The programme starts at 13:00 with an opening moment with cava and a performance by Phantom Wizard - the musician involved in the exhibition. Afterwards, there will be time to view the exhibition and, around half past 12, Noa-Marthe's performance 'GASLIGHT' will start opposite the gas extraction site.
Transport from Groningen has been arranged for the opening. A bus will run from Groningen to Kultuureiland, and back. Return tickets are €7.50 and on sale via the resort's website.
About the artists
Alec Mateo is a Dominican artist from New York working with language, sound, and performance to explore the potentials of fugitivity; an attempt to negotiate the relationships between narrative and subject.
Noa-Marthe Prins is an artist and writer based in Amsterdam. Drawing from tactics of resistance theater and comedy, she explores the relations between exploitative productivity and the performativity of work. Recent shows and performances include Window of Opportunity, Out of Office at Impakt Festival Utrecht and Curriculum Veto at Het Nationale Theater, The Hague.
Prins is a research fellow at the Deep Future lectorate of the Royal Academy of Art The Hague and in 2020 she co-founded 'Art Goss', a platform for high-effort art gossip.
Artun Alaska Arasli is an artist and writer based in Amsterdam. He graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in 2011, and followed his studies in Frankfurt am Main at th Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Kunste in 2014. In 2019 he was a resident at the Jan van Eyck Academie, and in 2020 he was a resident at Rupert in Vilnius and at Deltaworkers in New Orleans. Presentations of his work include Prose, Kantine, Brussels, Cardena: Warming Up, Rozenstraat, Amsterdam; Porcupine, Jan Van Eyck, Maastricht; The Beauty Commission, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. His texts have been published in Le Chauffage, nY and Montez Press Interjection Calendar. Since 2017 he has co-authored multiple plays, i.a. Rijgen, NTGent (2020), Het Stille Nacht, Silbersee (2021), and the What’s in a Fairytale trilogy (2017-2019), Toneelgroep Oostpool.
About Het resort
Het resort is an experimental and travelling art initiative in Groningen that develops its own approach in presenting art from a series of activities. It seeks an interaction between artists and environments, creating new ways of working and contexts. The nomadic form offers the opportunity to always look at the free space a city has and where art can exist. Artists are asked to create new work specifically for the chosen locations. Previous venues have included: Foyer of NNT + Club Guy&Roni, BIM petrol station, outdoor swimming pool De Papiermolen, Music Dome in the Sterrebos, former men's sauna 't Pakhuisje, Oude-Pekela, skating rink Kardinge.
The resort's programme consists of residencies with subsequent exhibitions, a talent trail and projects. She produces videos about the residencies, makes souvenirs and self-publishes publications.
More information about Green Fields | Subsurface, the participating artists and practical information about accessibility can be found at www.hetresort.nl
het resort.
Het resort onderzoekt de gedraging van een kunstinitiatief en zoekt naar nieuwe wegen, bevraagd de oude en doet suggesties. Ze test hoe de kunsten zich staande houden in omgevingen waar deze (nog) geen vaste positie heeft en kiest zowel de monumentale architectuur als de rafelranden waarin de (eerdere) functie van de omgeving een belangrijke rol speelt. Het resort zoekt naar de wildcards: ongebruikelijke combinaties van kunstenaars en omgevingen waarbij de uitkomsten onzeker zijn. Met haar episodes wil het resort een ontsnapping bieden uit het dagelijkse bestaan en vertelt ze het verhaal van kunst, misvatting, voorspoed, ambiance en champagne.
Location.
Kultuureiland
Damsterweg
9629 PD Steendam
tel -
www.hetresort.nl/index.html