SHORT BIO
Aurike Quintelier is a visual artist and architect based in Ghent and Brussels, Belgium. Her practice has many layers, often working cross-disciplinary, and looks for the places where art and architecture meet. Driven by idealism and research while operating on a variety of scales, the projects vary between actual buildings/structures, and more conceptual projects. In the latter she uses art or architecture to express herself or to react to a topic she find intriguing (or enfuriating). Every project has a strong emphasis on experiment and exploration, trying to find a way to communicate. In function of the message, the medium changes; medium follows message.
The research Aurike is currently conducting, "Building Out Whispering. Con-structions on the Imagination of Place”, finds itself on the intersection of architecture and art. It explores the possibilities of how spatial interventions/integrations can engage with different aspects of place, space, environment, and make abstract topics such as climate change and its consequences discussable. Could these temporary interventions in a landscape help imagine the future identity of a place? Does our identity as humans shift? The project focuses on the symbiosis of human and nonhuman, where the human is considered part of nature, in opposition to the dualism inherent in western systems of thought. Aurike aims to reveal how all aspects of place are entangled (its history, geology, possible futures, eco-systems, etc.) in order to create structures that bring closer nature and culture
PROPOSED WORK
Proposed work: As a form of correspondence and dialogue, the aim is to create several smaller speculative spatial 'con-structions' in-situ, a form of world-building, that uncover existing interdependent relations in the landscape, in alliance with the community. I intend to walk as a form of connecting and corresponding with the Björkö environment and with community members, as well as a way to share my work with people. During a previous residency in Björkö Konstnod, the project "It matters what stories tell stories, friendly parasites", led to the act of the 'exhibitionwalk'. The walk was a performance to attempt to bring community members, who had been a huge part of the world-building practice, into the con-structing, into the world built. I aim to explore this method further, and use walking as a starting point and end point in the project, as a form of communication and connection
Studio 3
Dates: Oct 23 to Nov 23
The notebook above shows insight into the process of 'it matters what stories tell stories II' (abbreviated 'imwsts II') during the residency program WAP23 with BKN. It is a selection of walks, shared moments, talks and daily inspirations that helped bring the project from thought to matter.
While the project 'imwsts I: friendly parasites' (2021) focused primarily on human stories and their entanglement and belonging to place, 'imwsts II' focuses on more-than-human stories ; birdstories. Deeply rooted in multispecies environmental justice, it aims to amplify bird voices, and reveal the existing historical and present bonds between birds and humans. In exchange for wool and seeds, birds share their points of view, their stories, their opinions, that are broadcasted live into other, often human, spaces. The channel creates an opportunity for deep listening for non-birds.
The project 'imwsts II' is ongoing, and the birds will share their perspectives live throughout the winter of 2023-2024. Have a listen soon!
Thank you to Björkö Konstnod and its residents for this opportunity, very grateful for all the inspiring encounters, for a space where these ideas could grow.
The project 'it matters what stories tell stories II' was part of the residency program WAP23 at Björkö Konstnod. It uses walking, softness and critical spatial making as methodologies. The overarching research 'Building Out Whispering, Con-structing on the Imagination of Place' examines how human and more-than-human are entangled in the development of a sense of place.
This page is a journal of the residency with Björkö Konstnod.
stenbrottet walk with torches, meeting the October artists, campfire, full moon, dinner, wine stains, dancing, conversations, new friends
walk by Heather Kaplow, sharing session with Heather Kaplow, Dianne Reid, Anna Viola Hallberg, Ami Skånberg, Jordan Rowe, Gerhard Kowald - mirroring in an attempt to spark empathy
visiting old friends the trees, it matters what stories tell stories, trees catching memories and secrets in the wind and holding them in their bodies
visiting old friends the rocks, building bar with Anna Viola Hallberg, inauguration of bar with Anna Viola, Dianne Reid and Ami Skånberg
ideas, bringing bird stories into human rooms, age-old exchange between humans and birds, interesting ornamental details in human-made birdfeeders
BKN family in bed, migraine, advil, rest, tea, honey, ginger, making envelopes in between sleeps, washing machine felting
forever grateful to Edka Jarząb, for her expertise and the wonderful talk, to Anna Viola for connecting us
artists sharing session with Marina Pugina, Derek Oliver, Aleksey Shchigalev, Marina makes delicious carrot cake, goodbye migraine and flu
walk and talk with Derek Oliver, showing each other favourite spots, trees, lakes, places, in search of vernacular building materials for the birdfeeders
first tests in the wood workshop, in search of logs, on to Anders in the snickeri, night walk in the fog
wood workshop continuations, metal scrap testing, metal threading, aurora visit in Kamchatka, darkness walk with Marina Pugina, Aleksey Shchigalev, Antanas Jacinevichius
painting for the project (zij)kant, reconnecting fika with Lena Gribbe from Marum whose sheep are donators of wool
visit to Norrtälje Konsthal with Marina Pugina, Aleksey Shchigale, Antanas Jacinevichius and Juanma Gonzalez, learning Russian on the bus
goodbye dinner for Aleksey and Antanas with dancing and singing (artwork Helena Lambert)
walk with Juanma Gonzalez and Aleksey Shchigalev to stenbrottet and Arsläjan, tea and cookies to warm up
