Terrestrial University: Prospecting Ocean | Talk with Armin Linke

Critical Zones | Terrestrische Universität


[14.01.2021]


The conversation highlights the state of our oceans. Armin
Linke’s film »Prospecting Ocean«, created in 2018, is the result
of a three-year investigation into the future of the oceans.


The project is mediated by legislation intended to reconcile the
conflicting interests of scientific exploration, commercial
extraction, and environmental protection. Interviews with
scientists, glimpses into international conferences, and actions
by local activist groups in Papua New Guinea are accompanied by a
monitor displaying commentaries, thus making visible the complex
network of interdependencies among the different actors involved
in the decision making about and investigation into the future of
the oceans. The global oceans are one of the most unexplored
parts of the »Critical Zone«. They fulfill an essential role in
maintaining the homeostasis of the planet.


Focusing on these specifics, Armin Linke will give an insight
into his artistic practice and work within the frame of the
exhibition »Critical Zones«. A conversation between the artist
and Philipp Ziegler, head of the curatorial department of ZKM,
will explore the following questions: How will the »new global
gold rush« of deep-sea mining affect the health of the planet in
the future? How can we prevent it from resembling past paradigms
of conflict over resource exploration, including the
marginalization of indigenous peoples and their rights and
disregard for environmental and social implications?


For over twenty years, photographer and filmmaker Armin Linke has
documented how humanity uses technologies and knowledge to
transform the surface of the earth and adapt it to its needs. In
a collective approach with other collaborators, the narratives of
his works expand on the level of multiple discourses.