Roots and Seeds XXI: Biodiversity Crisis and Plant Resistance

An international cooperation project between Ars Electronica (AT), Leonardo-OLATS (FR), University of Barcelona (ES) and Quo Artis (ES) as lead partner.

The sustainability discourse has largely played out in the domains of natural sciences and technology, with recent contributions from the social and political sciences. However, our individual and collective actions have lagged behind and the actual problems of sustainability have become worse in the same period.

With Roots & Seeds XXI. Biodiversity Crisis and Plant Resistance we sustain we can get better action and behavioral commitments to sustainability by using Art & Science practices, approaches, techniques and aesthetics to develop passion and emotional connection for sustainable organizing and living, trying to promote habits that take care of our environment and specifically our plants, contributing to our botanical literacy.

Roots & Seeds XXI activities (residencies, workshops, forums, talks and exhibitions) will serve the purpose of transnational circulation of cultural professionals, art products and knowledge focused on the biodiversity crisis of the vegetal world.

Roots & Seeds XXI aims to reflect on the biodiversity emergency, analyzing from different perspectives the transformation, adaptation and resilience of the plants, while promoting the intersection of Art and Science as the main platform to raise awareness about these issues.

Objectives

To address the need for common tools and approaches in the intersection of Art & Science to generate common spaces for artists, curators, scientists and social agents.

To stimulate transnational cooperation building bridges of communication between the different areas of technical, scientific, social, artistic and transcultural knowledge.

To explore co-creation and transversal approach as a methodology to stimulate artistic research, cultural and transnational production of artworks.

To study how can artistic practices contribute to raising awareness on the societal challenges and better understanding of the current biodiversity crisis.

To promote transnational mobility of artists, experts and international circulation of artworks making Art & Science accessible to wider audiences.

To boost visibility for Art & Science practices creating synergies with EU initiatives in the field of biodiversity.