KIFISSOS
What do we see when we look at nature in urban design? This is already a cultural look since we internalize the knowledge and the context. The way we perceive the environment is not always connected to the raw material of its elements. Perception is always mediated.
This collaboration brings together the practices of two artists who both observe the urban landscape emphasizing the experience of place through sensory observation, commenting on the abuse of natural resources by humanity. Environmental issues are becoming increasingly complex and addressing them requires a bridge between science, art and humanities. This audio-visual installation is intended to open a discussion as well as personal reflection around the state of inhabited space and what it reveals to humanity.
Coming from different artistic fields, Katerina Botsari and Karl Heinz Jeron attempt to bridge the gap between visual and audio experience. The landmark of the remaining billboards is an artificial element and the mountain is the natural signifier of the Attic landscape from where the water springs. The main subject of Botsari's research is in the practice of highlighting architectural paradoxes, as invaders in the natural environment. The giant-scale metal structures are the analog "screens" that communicated a variety of consumer messages in the pre-digital age. The auditory part of Karl Heinz Jeron includes several coupled electronic sound devices that transmit data (sonification*) from the river Kifissos. Field recordings, electrochemical analysis of water samples and artificial intelligence create a piece of music. The goal is to formulate musical-acoustic properties of water for a soundscape.