[portfolio_slideshow id=330]
Albedo Rock Bed, installation, documented on digital prints, 2013
Albedo Dreams Flying Things workshop, 2013
Albedo Dreams Hat workshop, 2013
Albedo Dreams linen and folding, intervention, 2013
Albedo Architecture workshop, 2013
Albedo Dreams Car Covers, intervention, 2013
Albedo Dreams Kite Making Workshop, 2013
Albedo Dreams Rock Bed, environmental art piece, digital print, 2013
Albedo Logger, video, dur 00:06:03, 2013
Albedo shields in action, photograph series, 2013
Albedo Shields, installation, 2012
Albedo Suits, reindeer suit on a stuffed reindeer, 2012
Albedo Dreams-project creates do-it-yourself climate manipulation with whitening actions in forests and urban areas. The actions are designed to increase the solar energy reflectivity – albedo – and thus cooling the climate and mitigating the climate change. The work plays with the notion of geo-engineering and the absurdity of the easy fix for complex problems.
Geoengineering/climate engineering = deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system, in order to moderate global warming.
Albedo = the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface.
Many of the Albedo Dreams whitening activities are created in form of workshops. They are based on collaboration together with a local expert or enthusiasts and this expertise is then combined with Albedo Dreams concept. The first workshop, Albedo Dreams Kite Making Workshop was organised by Keski-Korsu and kite expert Saevar Lindal in Reykjavik in February 2013. The idea was to make white kites and fly them together with local participants. Forest researchers Frank Berninger and Nea Kuusinen from Helsinki University calculated the affects of this action: they were modest but still existing with seven kites. Also other whitening actions were done in Reykjavik like car covering interventions and covering the rock bed of the Reykjavik shore.
Please view images of the Kite Making workshop here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsufartsu/sets/72157632848442726/
and other activities in Reykjavik here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsufartsu/sets/72157632890147518/
In September 2013, Albedo Dreams went to Lapinlahti and Kuopio, Finland. Albedo Architecture workshop was organised in architecture and environmental education school for children Lastu. We whitened their hut village. In Kuopio, there were two workshops Albedo Dreams Hats in Kuopio Academy of Design and Albedo Flying Things in the Kuopionlahti park. Also, there was linen folding and whitening actions in Satama park in Kuopio. At this point, the impact calculations were converted to gasoline liters in order to better understand the amounts.
Images of all these activities can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsufartsu/sets/72157635721021286/
Albedo Dreams -project started from works in the forests in 2012. For example, Albedo shields are for different locations in forests. They are geotagged and carefully designed to fit perfectly in their place. Preferably the shields could be used outside growing season and when there’s no snow. Natural materials are used to blend the shield better to its’ surroundings. For demonstrating purposes, the image of the actual location is projected on the shield when the shields are exhibited off their natural surroundings. One shield is 1m2 in size and it should then add 2W of lightness.
Albedo suits are for humans and animals. The suit prototypes are for a logger and a semi-domestic forest animal reindeer. Generally, the suits could be designed to all animals: wild and those living with human beings. The idea of logger’s albedo suit could be extended to forestry vehicles like for example forwarders.
Please view also the Prima Materia exhibition (2012) website
and images here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsufartsu/sets/72157631388464630/
The project started as a collaboration with Forest Research Department – Helsinki University Centre for Environmental Research and Finnish Bioart Society. In 2013, Albedo Dreams project continued in urban environments in Reykjavik, Iceland and Kuopio, Finland in collaboration with a residency program with ANTIfestival and The Festival.
