Oltre Terra by Formafantasma
From Might 26 to October 1, 2023, The Nationwide Museum of Norway in Oslo will host the exhibition ‘Oltre Terra. Why Wool Issues’ curated by Hanne Eide. On this exhibition, the Italian design studio Formafantasma delves into the intricate relationship between the extraction, manufacturing, and distribution of wool merchandise and the fascinating organic evolution of sheep. Oltre Terra endeavors to redefine the strategy to presenting supplies, objects, and applied sciences in exhibitions by incorporating the indispensable contribution of other-than-human entities concerned of their manufacturing.
The exhibition takes its title from the etymology of the time period ‘transhumance,’ which originates from the Latin phrases ‘trans’ (which means ‘throughout,’ or ‘oltre’ in Italian) and ‘humus’ (which means ‘grounds’ or ‘terra’). Transhumant practices revolve across the seasonal motion of livestock between grazing grounds, guided by the provision of vitamins and sources.
all pictures by Nasjonalmuseet / Ina Wesenberg, except said in any other case
the co-evolutionary journey of people and sheep
Roughly 11,000 years in the past, a major shift occurred in human society as hunter-gatherers adopted a extra sustainable strategy to interacting with sheep. As a substitute of indiscriminate searching, they started to handle and selectively cull flocks, unintentionally initiating an enchanting strategy of co-domestication. This marked the start of livestock and, over centuries, the evolution of the home sheep as we all know it at the moment.
‘The results of this course of, nevertheless, have by no means been solely unidirectional – that’s, from people in the direction of animals. Reasonably, a posh co-evolution has taken place: if mankind remodeled sheep biologically, by means of domestication and selective breeding, sheep have in flip powerfully formed the course of human historical past by offering wool, nourishment, and steering in territorial exploration, because of the apply of transhumance,’ shared the crew at Formafantasma.
picture by Formafantasma
‘Within the context of the exhibition, the thought of “crossing grounds” additionally displays the transdisciplinary angle that defines the present.’ The analysis for Oltre Terra has been an try at in depth dialogue and collaboration amongst various practitioners, together with designers, artists, anthropologists, evolutionists, authorized specialists, curators, shepherds, and farmers.
The show presents a thought-provoking reimagining of the normal diorama show. Sometimes utilized in pure historical past museums to depict static scenes from the pure world, this set up deconstructs the diorama idea. It incorporates six life-sized replicas of various sheep breeds alongside a set of paperwork, movies, by-products from manufacturing processes, and varied natural substances.
By combining supplies, methods, and dwelling organisms, Oltre Terra challenges the present categorizations that artificially separate people from animals and merchandise from organic matter. Complementing the exhibition, thinker Emanuele Coccia gives detailed captions that provide an interpretation of those various supplies and their interconnections.
picture by Formafantasma, work in progress of animal reproductions at Ecofauna’s workshop, 2023, Prato, Italy
The focus of the set up is the video named ‘Tactile afferents’, a collaborative work by artist Joanna Piotrowska and Formafantasma. The movie is co-produced by Nasjonalmuseet and Fondazione In Between Artwork Movie. The film provides a definite perspective on the present’s themes by centering on the sense of contact. It delves into ideas of co-domestication, showcasing each the fragile bond and affection between totally different species whereas additionally shedding gentle on its potential for aggression and hurt.
The set up additionally hosts a woolen carpet produced by cc-tapis. This carpet is crafted from a mixture of 4 distinct wool fibers sourced from twelve rustic Italian sheep breeds. Whereas coarser wool fibers are sometimes disregarded as low-grade materials, they discover objective in merchandise that don’t come into direct contact with the pores and skin.
© Joanna Piotrowska and Formafantasma, Tactile Afferents, 2023, co-produced by Nasjonalmuseet and Fondazione In Between Artwork Movie | nonetheless from the film
Corridor & Co., Snowdrop, Grand Champion Ewe of the Sydney Sheep Present, 1937, Sydney, Australia, {photograph}, mounted, paper
