Ecology of Change: Meadows

Archipelago Centre Korpoström & online
5.5.2022 & 19.5.2022

Who will save the seagrass? What is landscape friendly food in the archipelago? What kind of cheese could be made with the milk of the sheep grazing on the island meadows?

The meadows on the islands and underwater in Turku Archipelago were the focus of attention in a number of art works realised in the exhibition Contemporary Art Archipelago in 2011. Artist Elin Wikström collaborated with marine biologists of Åbo Akademi University to experiment with eelgrass meadow restoration. Arja Renell brought together local restaurants and producers to develop ecologically sustainable menu options. Gediminas and Nomeda Urbonas proposed turning decommissioned military bunkers to cheese cellars.

CAA returns now to the archipelago meadows in a series of talks with artists and scientists to consider transformations that have taken place both on land and underwater during the past decade: In the meadows, the slow evolution of distinctive local ecosystems meets accelerating global changes. Meadows attune our senses to the entanglement of the life and death of different species with the transformations of human cultures and technologies.

The discussions can be attended at Archipelago Centre Korpoström and online. The presentations will be in Finnish.

The talks are organised in collaboration with Archipelago Centre Korpoström and Archipelago Sea Unesco Biosphere Reserve as part of a series of events Ecology of Change , supported by the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.

Island Meadows
Thu 5.5.2022 at 14.00-16.00

The first talk focuses on the restoration of island meadows and the impacts of summer grazing on the biodiversity of meadow ecosystems. In conversation artist Arja Renell, conservation biologist Maija Mussaari of Metsähallitus Wildlife Services, and Archipelago Sea Unesco Biosphere Reserve coordinator Katja Bonnevier.

Underwater Meadows
Thu 19.5.2022 at 14.00-16.00

The second event directs attention below the surface of the Archipelago Sea to discuss the significance of underwater meadows with artists Sinna Virtanen, Sandra Nyberg and Heini Nieminen (Elin&Keino), and Christoffer Boström, assistant professor of marine biology at Åbo Akademi University.

More information on the events and links to the talks here.