Photoillustrata creative stays and research planned within the project ISLAND CREATIVE are focused mainly on European coast lines, seashores, and sea environment with its potential in sustainability.
Some ideas for our work are rooted in historical connection with the Archduke Louis Salvador. He was a significant protector of nature of Mallorca and devoted big part of his life to deep research of the island’s landscape, flora and fauna.
As an important inspiration in approach and art work closest to my heart within this sea environmental topics is also a photographer Jean Painlevé, who presented common sea creatures as both scientific specimens and as works of art. The visionary filmmaker and photographer spent much of the 20th century turning underwater fauna into graphic, architectural wonders. Painlevé explored the underwater world in photographs taken through a microscope. He made more than 200 films, and even a range of sea creature–themed fashion accessories. His work was shown as scientific research at the Academy of Sciences in Paris, and inspired artists from Pablo Picasso to Joan Jonas, and was even a potent symbol for champions of gender equality. Painlevé’s pioneering techniques and artistic flair caught the attention of the contemporary surrealist artists such as Man Ray and Alexander Calder, as well as the New Objectivity school of German photography. And he deserves space in our project and blog in next chapters.
At this stage main aim of Photoillustrata's creative stays is to focus on our own inner or outer dialog with the sea and ocean to discover, where we stand within this background. How we are connected to questions about sustainable necessity of future and how we can communicate it in contemporary photography or other experimental multimedia expressions.
LOS MARES Y OCÉANOS ALBERGAN UNA BIODIVERSIDAD FUNDAMENTAL PARA LA SALUD DE LOS SERES VIVOS.
"En ningún otro ámbito la importancia de la biodiversidad para el desarrollo sostenible es más esencial que en los océanos. La biodiversidad marina, esto es, la variedad de vida en los océanos y los mares, es un aspecto fundamental de los tres pilares del desarrollo sostenible —económico, social y ambiental—, que mantiene el funcionamiento saludable del planeta y proporciona servicios que sustentan la salud, el bienestar y la prosperidad de la humanidad."
"The importance of biodiversity for sustainable development isn’t more essential in any place than in the oceans. Marine biodiversity, that is the variety of life in the oceans and seas, is a fundamental aspect of the three pillars of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental - that maintains the healthy functioning of the planet and provides services that support the health, well-being and prosperity of mankind."
Very attractive and vast potential in sustainability is the endless richness in benefits and beauty of algae.
To research of algae devoted her life Isabella Abbott, (June 20, 1919 – October 28, 2010), an educator, phycologist, and ethnobotanist from Hawaii. Besides her we can be inspired on these topics thanks to work of Luma Fundation, who organized ALGAE SUMMIT on December 9th with international participations of artists, designers, earth scientists and biologist exploring algae in all possible layers of its existence.
Let yourself get touched by the visual artist Filip van Dingenen (who prefers to be at the seashore rather than in studio), herbalist Ellen Schoenmakers (running seaweed workshops and company Wild Wier), designer Violaine Buet and many many others.
Surprisingly for some of us ALGAE provide also a huge potential for developing bio-materials of a quality equivalent to that of synthetic or chemical materials and even to produce new and interesting properties. The development of these resources benefits from the collaboration between scientists, manufacturers and creators. As a link between these three fields, designers are often pioneering the exploration of new applications combining craftsmanship and technological innovation and the implementation of new ways of production. How can creative approaches contribute to the reinvention of production models? How can innovative scenarios be developed that can influence behaviour and relationships between living things and materials?
Questions to give us a direction of new perceptions and meaningful development captured in visual designed stories related.
Seaweed designer Violaine Buet explain her fascination about algae: “They come from so far (billion of years), are connected to the origins of life, provide 50% of the oxygen on the planet, but are still so discrete, so humble… For the wideness of their esthetic spectrum, they embrace multiple facets, they are challenging and playful. And for their emotional impact; a wet seaweed has an amazing connection with tenderness of human skin, the vibrance of the animal world, the benefit of the vegetal lineage…”
AND I CAN ONLY AGREE. Feeling touched and have butterflies in my belly as when in love.
EVERYTHING ON THIS PLANET IS LOCAL TO ME … THE WORLD IS OURS, NO BORDERS AND WE ARE ALL HUMANS LIVING ON ONE SINGLE PLANET WITHIN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. LETS CARE OF IT WELL AND ENJOY. LETS BE PART OF THE OCEAN'S BENEFITS.
For your own research within the topic of our ISLAND CREATIVE 2021 summer workshop and residence please follow these links and other sources.
photography@zuzanamalinacernohousova
portrait@joanoliver
illustration photos from linked websites (print screens)