Former Farmland (ENG)
There you stand with your mobile in your hand, in connection with the whole world, but on former farmland.
2008, From 2008 in Saragossa (ES), Linz (AT) and Oldenburg (DE).
Projectwebsite: Former Farmland
Former Farmland is a collection of stories and images about the ground beneath your feet. The collected knowledge can pop up in your mobile phone while walking in an suburban area.
`When farmland is used as a site for new building projects or urban leisure areas, the farmer gets a good price for the land. The farmer then moves on. He may buy new land or decide to quit farming altogether because there is no-one to take over from him or he sees no financial future in farming. But what the farmer takes away is not just the memory of a piece of land that is about to be re-developed – he takes a wealth of knowledge about the soil he has worked on for generations. This knowledge has no value anymore. The land is designated for other purposes and the personal stories about the influence of the water and soil on the harvest are no longer relevant. As farmland is a part of everyone’s cultural heritage, I decided to unearth some stories about Former Farmland.`
Former Farmland was launched in 2008 within the Overtures 3 programme of artcircolo DE and realised for Expo08 in Saragossa ES and the Ars Electronica Festival 08 in Linz AT. In 2009 a third version will be made for the Edith-Russ-Haus in Oldenburg DE.
See connections.
There you stand with your mobile in your hand, in connection with the whole world, but on former farmland.
2008, From 2008 in Saragossa (ES), Linz (AT) and Oldenburg (DE).
Projectwebsite: Former Farmland
Former Farmland is a collection of stories and images about the ground beneath your feet. The collected knowledge can pop up in your mobile phone while walking in an suburban area.
`When farmland is used as a site for new building projects or urban leisure areas, the farmer gets a good price for the land. The farmer then moves on. He may buy new land or decide to quit farming altogether because there is no-one to take over from him or he sees no financial future in farming. But what the farmer takes away is not just the memory of a piece of land that is about to be re-developed – he takes a wealth of knowledge about the soil he has worked on for generations. This knowledge has no value anymore. The land is designated for other purposes and the personal stories about the influence of the water and soil on the harvest are no longer relevant. As farmland is a part of everyone’s cultural heritage, I decided to unearth some stories about Former Farmland.`
Former Farmland was launched in 2008 within the Overtures 3 programme of artcircolo DE and realised for Expo08 in Saragossa ES and the Ars Electronica Festival 08 in Linz AT. In 2009 a third version will be made for the Edith-Russ-Haus in Oldenburg DE.
See connections.
