COLONIA

COLONIA

COLONY

¿Cuál es la génesis de un proyecto artístico que propone una experiencia que tiende a resaltar el comportamiento presente en la constitución de los organismos vivos ?. A partir de este detonante entra en juego esta bioinstalación sonora formada por una colonia de seres constituida por partes tecnológicas en desuso y biounidades de materia orgánica en descomposición. Estas unidades llamadas MFC (Microbial Fuel Cells), producen energía que controlan la frecuencia de oscilación del sonido de cada pieza de la colonia de forma independiente. El conjunto de piezas-organismo funciona como un único cuerpo sonoro que fluctúa en el espacio expositivo, producto de las cancelaciones y adiciones de las diferentes mini variaciones en la oscilación que produce cada pieza de forma independiente. A través de este proceso se despliega en el ambiente un resultado sonoro emergente, que surge de la acción simple y repetitiva de cada una de las piezas que forman parte de 'Colonia'. Este proyecto reflexiona, (como su nombre lo indica, Colonia), sobre los sistemas emergentes en una determinada colonia de agentes independientes.
En 2014 invité al veterinario (y cineasta) Gabriel Cicuttin a trabajar juntos en un proyecto artístico-científico que tuviese un componente concreto de vida (de vida orgánica). La idea de trabajar con cultivos bacterianos surgió por las características, potencialidades y por la posibilidad que ofrecen las bacterias de relacionarse con el universo de la electricidad.

What is the genesis of an artistic project that proposes an experience that tends to highlight the behavior present in the constitution of living organisms?. From this trigger, this sound bio-installation formed by a colony of beings made up of disused technological parts and bio-units of decomposing organic material comes into play. These units called MFC (Microbial Fuel Cells), produce energy that controls the frequency of sound oscillation of each piece of the colony independently. The set of pieces-organism functions as a single sound body that fluctuates in the exhibition space, product of the cancellations and additions of the different mini variations in the oscillation that each piece produces independently. Through this process, an emergent sound result unfolds in the environment, which arises from the simple and repetitive action of each of the pieces that are part of 'Colonia'. This project reflects, (as its name indicates, Colonia), on the emerging systems in a determined colony of independent agents.
In 2014, I invited the veterinarian (and filmmaker) Gabriel Cicuttin to work together on an artistic-scientific project that had a concrete component of life (of organic life). The idea of working with bacterial cultures arose, due to their characteristics, potential, and because of the possibility that bacteria offer to relate to the universe of electricity.

Este proyecto utiliza materiales totalmente reciclados. Estos provienen de partes de desecho de equipos de audio, video, autopartes, computadoras de desecho.
También cuentan con circuitos electrónicos, (osciladores de baja frecuencia (LFO) y amplificadores de audio), que fueron fabricados de forma casera siguiendo las indicaciones técnicas de colegas profesionales de la electrónica. Finalmente, el proyecto se completa con un elemento muy importante que son las denominadas Celdas de Combustible Microbiano (MFC). Estas celdas se fabrican con elementos estándar de laboratorio siguiendo algunos procedimientos científicos básicos.

This project uses fully recycled materials. These come from scrap parts of audio, video equipment, auto parts, scrap computers.
They also have electronic circuits, (low frequency oscillators (LFO) and audio amplifiers), which were made at home following technical indications from professional electronics colleagues. Finally, the project is completed with a very important element which are the so-called Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC). These cells are made with standard laboratory elements following some basic scientific procedures.

http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/81126

https://youtu.be/kXNzgCq5iZI

https://www.dariosacco.com.ar

'Colonia' is an artistic project with a strong reflection on the art-science binomial. It was born that way, it is not a commercial project, it is not an advertising project and it is not an agroecological research project. It was thought in an artistic-poetic way in all its years of development. However, one of the things that we noticed from the beginning (and especially from the first expositions of the project), was that the public asked us about the real capacity to produce energy that the bacteria possessed. The tempting idea that an organic waste (such as compost) could be obtained as precious as energy was striking. The public was excited to think that adding a few more cells could light a room for "free".
In this project I have always made it clear that the idea of ​​producing energy with waste is true, but with its important limitations. Getting energy from waste is not magic!

In our preliminary research on this topic, we discovered that there are numerous institutions in the world and various teams of scientists who are working in this line of research with bacteria. They tirelessly search for a way to find a method that allows the supply of clean energy from working with bacteria acting on waste. At the moment large amounts of garbage are necessary to produce low energy, the method is not enough to call this "an alternative source of renewable energy", (at least for now to be able to think of a replacement for classical energies).

'Colonia' does not necessarily intend to join this long list of discoveries, the conceptual path would have been different. The energy produced by this project is barely enough to modify an electronic circuit (the energy in 'Colonia' is found only for the purposes of the 'Colonia' project).
However, we could consider that if in 'Colonia' there is a potential that goes beyond the strictly artistic, it is the fact of influencing a new way of thinking about the appropriation and use of energy. The door is open to a new way of relating to the finite resources of our planet. Energy, (necessary today like the air we breathe in), deserves new ways of being thought (and democratized). One of my wishes, beyond artistic enjoyment, has to do with this problem. I am an electronic artist, my creative world always revolves around electricity (and energy).
So if this project can draw attention to the problem of renewable energies and be a starting point to give new ideas to other actors who want to delve into these issues, then I think that 'Colonia', (and their ideas), can serve as an inspiration for future generations of human beings committed to energy problems.