2 — 3 Jun 2021
Location: SOLU
TICK ACTs
June 2-3, 2021 | 15–20h, for one visitor at a time
SOLU Space, Luotsikatu 13, Helsinki
For visitors of one at a time over two days, TICK ACTs presented contemplations and ideas from a collaboration between artists Laura Beloff and Kira O’Reilly on ticks and tick-borne pathogens and their environments. It included a display of a wearable Tick Terrarium created by Laura Beloff, a sound work created with Antye Greie [AGF] and Kira O’Reilly, and TICK TALKs - a series of five podcasts with researchers in the sciences and humanities that can be listened to online (click here to listen to TICK TALKs!).
Below, you'll find info about and photos of the works, and an online version of the sound piece.
- -
Tick Terrarium
Laura Beloff
According to environmental scientists, the recent decades have witnessed an environmental change in the increase of tick populations and the expansion of their habitat areas, which is attributed to the continuous warming of our climate. It is evident that we need to learn to live with ticks in close proximity that may also impact our desire to be in nature and change our routines.
Tick Terrarium 2020 is a wearable object for us to rehearse this proximity. It presents a contradicting situation, in which a disgust towards ticks is also reflected from an evolutionary co-agency perspective, which claims that without parasites and pests – we, humans, would not be what we are today (referencing the podcast episode with Tuomas Aivelo).
The Tick Terrarium is made from glass and it also ironically asks: Which is more dangerous for the human body - free -unning ticks or broken glass? The shape of the Tick Terrarium 2020 references a historical bio-weapon research on ticks in the USA during the 1950s-1070s.
The presented Tick Terrarium contains approximately 30-40 ticks of different sizes. They like to hide during the daytime and in the direct sun, but are more active in the early mornings and evenings.
- -
Arachnid - Tick sensing
Kira O’Reilly & Antye Greie (AGF), duration 15:34
Using a specially composed text and sound, alienlike sensational subjectivities of human/tick transspecies encounters are explored - inseparable from their environment-ing worlds and the ticks microbial cargos. Cross-kingdom relations are conducted via tick sensing of molecular, chemical phrases by which we betray our presence through secreted volatile signatures. Arachnid - Tick sensing was inspired by the uncanny sonic textures developed by Antye Greie (AGF) who edited and mastered the TICK TALKs podcasts, her sound work I vs us, Kyla Schuller’s essay The Microbial Self: Sensation and Sympoiesis, and other readings.
Listen to Arachnid - Tick sensing below - headphones are recommended.
- -
The photo on top of the page is by Laura Beloff.
The TICK ACTs event photos from SOLU Space are by Mari Kaakkola.
- -
A visit to TICK ACTs will take up to approximately 30 minutes and is bookable by appointment. Book your time via Doodle. If you wish us to confirm your booking, or you need more info, please contact lisa.kalkowski@bioartsociety.fi.
Based on the current COVID-19 situation, during appointments, recommended precautions will be observed, such as wearing masks, distancing, and ventilating the space. Face masks and hand sanitizer are available at SOLU space. Only come to SOLU Space when healthy. Please cancel your appointment if you’re feeling unwell.
Accessibility:
Please find detailed info about accessibility here. If you need assistance during your visit or more info, please email us at info@bioartsociety.fi - we’re happy to help you. We follow safer space guidelines at all our events.
TICK ACTs and TICK TALKs are part of Biofriction, a European collaboration project committed to supporting bioart and biohacking practices. Biofriction project is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
