Lead partner: Projekt Atol.
Other partners: NIANSA, European Space Agency, Inštitut RONIN, Stichting Liminous, Systemics UCSB.
Venue: various venues in the Soča Valley and the wider Soča river basin area from source to estuary.
ISOLABS unfolds as a landscape of forensic intersections between art and science, stretching from the source to the mouth of the Soča river. It encompasses fieldwork, environmental and remote sensing, mapping, reflection, and collaborative exchanges with local and global communities that connect the realms of art and science.
With advanced tools for sensing and recording biological, chemical, physical, and visual aspects of the environment, human understanding of what constitutes "nature" has expanded dramatically.
Yet, to grasp the intricacies of complex biospheres as intertwined ecosystems, we must also integrate cultural, historical, and geological dimensions.
How can an Alpine river, flowing into the Mediterranean, with its material and cultural sedimentary deposits, deepen ecological thought?
The Soča river is both a fragile biosphere and a cultural treasure. Its Alpine reaches are marked by a perplexing mix of historical conflict, hydropower exploitation, sports tourism, pollution, and geological damage. In its lower course, the river subtly interacts with the urban fabric of Nova Gorica and Gorizia, while its outflow in the Adriatic sea forms a delicate new ecosystem.
The ISOLABS project seeks urgent critical reflection and activist intervention, fostering on-site actions to address these challenges. The name ISOlabs intertwines "Iso", evoking both the concept of isolation and the Isonzo (Soča), with "labs", referring to the project’s network of laboratories and observatories. Its aim is to spotlight and act upon the pressing ecological, cultural, and historical narratives embedded in Soča's journey.
Key individuals:
- Antye Greie,
- Jernej Moderc,
- Sašo Puckovski,
- Brandon Rosenbluth,
- QOA,
- Sašo Podgoršek,
- Segundo Berteche,
- Matthew Biederman,
- Marko Damiš,
- Lana Čmajčanin,
- Dmitry Morozov,
- Carsten Nicolai,
- Antti Tenetz,
- Jasmina Cibic,
- Marko Peljhan.
Photo: David Verlič
