our interest lies in the big and immediate phenomenon of europe’s recent history: we trace the path of the iron curtain. the idea of the project is to permanently transform what used to be the death strip into a landscape that connects, that is unique in a positive way and serving as supraregional support. based on the former common border situation, this creates new vicinities.
different interests and needs are captured, they highlight developments and are coordinated with regional potentials. as a reaction to the complex possibilities of planning, the border strip is examined with the help of bee colonies, their beekeepers and volunteer young adults from all over europe: financed by a travel scholarship, these explorers establish contact with local beekeepers, they collect honey and the stories that go with it. afterwards, we combine the results of this research and create a new central european honey landscape. an idea that seems simple at first, but offers complex ways of interpretation:
bees are the interface between culture and nature, a phenomenon that can be found throughout large parts of europe. they are used to gather and carry information. the beehives are man-made and vary from region to region. honey, the product bees cultivate, is the essence of a landscape that gives biodiversity its flavor. furthermore, bees increasingly become an indicator of the state of the environment and is perceived as a part of sustainable farming.
the intention of this project is that the existing regional diversity that can be found along the 8,700 km border is integrated into a supraregional concept without borders on as many levels as possible, based on cultural exchange. furthermore, the consciousness for common ground that had been lost shall be reestablished using various ways of participation. the beehives that are integrated in a platform with a high recognition value represent a trademark, as well as a first place of exchange and information. honey, a product that is closely linked to economic structures, represents the potential of high quality products organized on a regional level.
client: iucn, international union for conservation of nature
size: ca 8.700 km
cooperation: yuji oshima,artist
exhibition: lange nacht der revolte, academie of arts, berlin (d) 2009; mut zur stadt, weissenhof gallerie, stuttgart, 2012; österreich institut ljubljana (si) 2009
external links: bee free homepage
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