Artist-in-Residence: Geoff Robinson | 30.9.–28.10.2019

Durational Situation
Vartiovuorenpuisto / Turun yliopiston kasvitieteellinen puutarha

Durational Situation is a project in development by Titanik’s current artist-in-residence Geoff Robinson. The project is situated across Vartiovuori Park and the greenhouse at University of Turku Botanical Gardens, and focuses on the temporal and spatial qualities of the geology, climate and bird life of these two sites. Taking the sea level marker signage at Vartiovuori as a starting point, the project develops a durational relationship referencing the post glacial land lift (Holocene) in the Fennoscandian region and rising sea levels due to climate change (Anthropocene).

Positioning this relationship as a framework, the project will utilise the performance of European birdcall whistles at Vartiovuori and recordings of the Australian Cockatiel (guwariyan*) and Budgerigar (gijirragaa*) living in the Turku Botanical Garden greenhouse to create a video and performance work that juxtaposes the human determined and deep time relationships between the two sites as a layering of duration; the past and the future simultaneously in the present.

*Wiradjuri language 

~~~CALL OUT~~~

The project is seeking seven volunteers to participate in a video shoot and live performance at Vartiovuori park (near Titanik). The video and live event will involve a scored performance where the participants walk through the park whilst performing with birdcall whistles, no experience is required. The video shoot will take 30 min for each participant on either Tuesday 22 or Wednesday 23 October, and the performance of all seven participants will occur on the afternoon of Saturday 26 October for 1 hour.

Please contact Geoff at geoff.robinson73@gmail.comif you are interested in participating.

Geoff Robinson is a Melbourne-based artist working on Wurundjeri Country in the Kulin Nations. Robinson creates event-based artworks that utilise the temporal qualities of sound and performance and the spatial conditions of physical sites to unravel the durational layers of place.

Recent projects include: Itinerant Sound, multiple sites in Australia (2015-ongoing), Itinerant Object/Propositions for Change, Sarah Scout Presents, Melbourne (2016);roomoverlay/5 weeks/thursdays 6-7pm/accumulation,West Space, Melbourne (2015); 15 locations/15 minutes/15 days,Federation Square Melbourne (2014); Site Overlay/Acoustic Surveyacross three public sites in Melbourne (2013). Robinson has held residencies and exhibited at Helsinki International Artist Programme, MoKS Estonia and Seoul Art Space. He was awarded the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2014 and completed a PhD in Fine Art at Monash University, Melbourne, in 2018.

https://geoffrobinsonprojects.com

Image: Itinerant Sound/11am Monash University, Caulfield/2pm The Circle, Royal Park/2 June 2018, video still, Geoff Robinson, 2018.