The Curie’s Children [glow boys, radon daughters] workshop allows the uninitiated to easily enter into a physical and intuitive relation to nuclear and atomic processes, following simple hands-on experimentation, construction and research. This relation promotes an understanding of the complex issues surrounding contemporary uses of nuclear and atomic technologies, which could inform and help to formulate an artistic “response”.
As part of the Case Pyhäjoki project in 2013, Berger and Howse designed a minimal, low budget geiger radiation detector which is fast and simple to build. The detector serves as an introduction for the workshop participants to start a relationship with the complex political, economic and artistic positions orbiting the phenomena of nuclear decay. During the Curie’s Children [glow boys, radon daughters] workshop participants will be guided through their own construction of the radiation detector device, and will extend this with further investigations, experiments, lectures, discussion, screenings, presentations and field trips.
Workshop schedule
2.6. 18h: Presentation “Case Pyhäjoki – Artistic reflections on nuclear influence” with Mari Keski Korsu and guests.
3-5.6. 10-18h: Building of radiation detector, experiments and investigations, presentations, screenings and field trips.
About Erich Berger and Martin Howse
Erich Berger is an artist and cultural worker based in Helsinki/ Finland. His interests lie in information processes and feedback structures, which he investigates through installations, situations,performances and interfaces. His current explorations of deep time and hybrid ecology led him to work with radiogenic phenomena.
Through the construction of experimental situations (within process-driven performance, laboratories, walks, and workshops), material art works and texts, Martin Howse explores the rich links between substance or materials and execution or protocol, excavating issues of visibility and of hiding within the world.
Curie’s Children [glow boys, radon daughters] is a collaboration between the Finnish Society of Bioart, Case Pyhäjoki and Pixelacheand part of the pre-program of Camp Pixelache 2014.
The workshop is generously funded by the Finnish Arts Promotion Centre