9/19/2024
ISOLABS, one of the major projects of the official programme of the European Capital of Culture, started on Saturday, conceived and curated by Marko Peljhan, an internationally renowned artist and researcher working at the intersection of art, technology and science. The inaugural ISOLABS tuning took place in the Soča river basin, in the Bovec region.
"We are exploring the Soča valley, from its source to its mouth, its elements, trying to understand the environment as a generator of content that is invisible, liminal, and to foster intersections that connect science, art, linguistics, poetry, cultures that mix here. ISOLABS is a never-ending project, and I am happy that it is now officially launched," said Marko Peljhan at the launch event. He added that the name ISOLABS comes from the word isolation and also refers to the Greek word isos and of course Isonzo/Soča, while labs refers to the whole valley system as a laboratory.
The introductory situation was entitled ISOLABS - EMBEDDED S3 (Shamans, Scientists and Sorcerers) - ANTEPRIMA and was designed to attune the participants to the observed landscapes, with a particular emphasis on the auditory experience. This intimate gathering took place in an open-air location that was initially secret to the visitors; a special shuttle service met them at the Bovec airport and took them to a location near Bavšica.
The project is conceived as a landscape for forensic research and dialogue, exploring the complex interplay of art, science, technology, language and environment in an area from the source to the mouth of the Soča River. ISOLABS integrates fieldwork, environmental and remote sensing, mapping and reflexive practices with local and global communities, exploring and testing the boundaries between different disciplines, cultures, subcultures and natural systems. This series of events and situations represents an important step in exploring the complex systems that shape our world, combining scientific rigor with conceptual art practices.
