Current location::: : :
CALL FOR OPERATIONS AND PROJECTS
PROPOSALS FOR THE MAKROLAB TERRITORY 2003/2004 PERIOD
Makrolab, Isola di Campalto, Laguna di Venezia 11.9.03 23.00Z
The MAKROLAB markIIex structure was installed on the island of
Campalto (Isola di Campalto) in the Venice Lagoon on June 13, 2003
as part as part of the Biennale di Venezia art exhibition,
Individual systems section and the PHARE CBC Interreg IIIA program,
organised by Patagonia Art, rx:tx and Projekt Atol.
On September 15, the lab operations will stop for a month for
winterisation preparations and winter overhaul and the resident
Projekt Atol and rx:tx crew will prepare the lab for the new
climatic conditions. Operations will resume on October 15 or earlier,
depending on the overhaul speed. The network operations will
continue without stopping on November 2, as previously planned, when
the Venice Biennale finishes. The lab operations will continue!
From September 12 on, PROJEKT ATOL is starting to accept proposals
from the tactical media community individual workers and teams, free
and open source software community workers, radio scientists,
biologists, ornithologists, ichtiologists, engineers, ecologists and
artists for operations and projects proposals for the Winter 2003
and Spring 2004 periods.
The lab is equipped with a 450D/150U satellite tcp/ip link, a
primary ADSL based radio link, two multi OS workstations, a server,
a printer and a scanner, data logger, sensor suite, satellite Ku
band receiving capability, HF and VHF radios and from December 15 on
a radar and a 10foot parabolic motorised dish.
The crews are expected to manage the laboratory while in residency
in all its technological and social aspects, to manage the project
webspace and to document their work and day to day operations.
Knowledge of boating, meteorology, electrical systems and networks
is advisable, but not a condition.
The MAKROLAB primary research areas are in the following fields:
Telecommunications mapping and reflection, cryptography, network
mapping and topologies, free and open source software coding and
distribution systems, remote sensing data acquisition and
processing, bird migration patterns and navigation, captial
migration mapping and reflection, human economic migrations mapping
and reflection, ecological and social impact of migratory patterns,
migration interrelation algorithms, local ecology awareness
information systems, closed energy and waste cycle development,
robotic sensor deployment, biospheric environment research, non
linear and non hierarchic data display, use and dissemination,
autonomous social systems, closed ecologies research, network
centric identity research, energy production, storage, containment
and distribution systems.
Any research dealing with cold weather and arctic/antarctic
conditioning is welcome, as well as any research and work dealing
with the local, Venice lagoon ecology in all its aspects.
The operations and project proposals should include the following
check list items:
- title of the proposal
- author, authors and email contact
- category or field of the proposal (if applicable)
- proposal or proposals abstracts with a proposed time line (maximum
2 pages, we strongly suggest residencies of at least 15 days).
Proposals for shorter periods will be given equal scrutiny, but the
experience of the lab operations is that the longer the residency,
the more effective it can be. Makrolab is physically and socially a
challenging environment, and an adaptation period is almost always a
neccesity.
- crew member list with email contact and short CV (a maximum of 5
and a minimum of 2 crew members will be allowed during the winter
and spring operations)
- possible special dietary, medical and similar needs of the crew
members should be noted already in the proposals
All work done in the lab must be or become OPEN SOURCE and must be
publicly available. No private projects with distribution and
presentation limitation can be accepted, due to the nature of the
project. Projects in the tactical and strategic categories are an
exception to this rule and will be assesed on an individual basis.
The crews travel expenses will be covered to a maximum of EUR 200
per crew member and will be assesed individually, the supply
stocking will be done in conjunction with the crews, but budgeted by
the lab operations.
Any special material and equipment needs cannot be at this time
supported by Makrolab, but attention will be given to proposals that
include equipment that could be integrated into lab’s future
operations.
Each crew member must show proof of valid health insurance for Italy
and is responsible for her/his travel arrangements to and from
Venice, Italy. A free, unguarded parking facility is available for
those traveling by car.
The maximum allowed volume of the personal items should fit in the
crew 70X70X50 cm rack storage, a networkable laptop computer is very
much advised.
Note: there are no clothes cleaning facilities in the lab, although
arrangements can be made for emergency situations. Winter and
waterproof clothing is prescribed for the Winter and Spring
operations, since the use of the boat in the winter will be a wet
affair. A clothing plan should be part of each crew member planning
for the work and the stay in the lab.
Makrolab is an equal opportunity program, open to everybody.
Operations and project proposals will be assesed on the basis
corelations with the projects main objectives and research, tactical
and strategic interests.
The MAKROLAB project is an ongoing mobile laboratory setup built for
the open and integral research and common work of artists,
scientists and tactical media workers in the fields of
telecommunications, migrations research, weather and climate.
It was first set up in 1997, during the documenta X exhibition in
Kassel, Germany, and was consequently operating in Western Australia
(Rottnest Island), Slovenia (Veliki Kras) and in the Scotish
Highlands (Atholl Estates). The final aim of the project is the
establishment of an independent art and science based research
station on the Antarctic continent in 2007.
The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic
of Slovenia, the PHARE Interreg CBC IIIA program Italia/Slovenia,
Mobitel d.d., Mestna Obcina Ljubljana, Mestna Obcina Nova Gorica,
Comune di Venezia and coordinated by Patagonia Art and the rx:tx
institute.
Send your proposals, PDF or ASCII txt with images to:
makrolab@mail.ljudmila.org
Proposals will be accepted for residencies and operations until the
end of May, 2004
END OF CALL