Tigerworm Aquaponics Project & Society – The Exhibition
QUOTE (general):
An interdisciplinary approach to art requires professional integration on both the theoretical and practical level, and this cannot be other than practice itself, understood as a complex, composed sphere of action oriented towards basic human interests.
Three artists and an agricultural engineer come together to create a proposal for a commission work for Lier Fjordbyen. 3 international artist groups are invited to participate in the second round of the contest.
Instead of making a model for the jury, the TWAPS artist group makes an exhibition “Tigerworm Aquaponics Project & Society”, where they show parts of their suggestion and the rest they introduce thoroughly in their book with the same name.
Artist Anne-Britt Rage insists on driftwood as the building material. She is fascinated by the journey, the salt, sun, storm, and wind that has shaped the material as well as the fact that we do not know where the wood comes from. It can be strong and weak at the same time.
Agricultural engineer Radwan Zanhar shakes his head at the choice of material but says that everything is possible as long as we insert some cross beams and insists that the tall objects have to be attached to the wall.
Artist Christel Fetzer comes with her sculptural skills that combine work in landscapes with her ability to think pictorially and visually. Sometimes they would like to freeze the work, because the objects become beautiful and mysterious, but the goal is to create an aquaponic system. Artistic and scientific needs must be combined.
Anneke von der Fehr continues the work in the direction of the Anthropocene. She quotes Anders Dunker who says: “An art that finds its origins in nature, in man’s interaction with animals and plants, will be a new art – and at the same time a revival of art’s original form.”
In the end, the result is an artistic aquaponics growth system made from reused individually blown wine balloons with three baskets and found objects (driftwood found at the Drammen fjord/river) The technical parts consist of a biofilter, oxygen systems, plastic hoses, and water pumps and lamps. The plants are basil in zinc bowls with stones.
Book as part of the exhibition
Tigerworm Aquaponics Project & Society – the book
The proposal for the Lier Fjordbyen art in public space is presented in a book called Tigerworm Aquaponics Project & Society. The project in short consists of the following: Three adjacent buildings – built in workshops and with high participation of locals (DIY) – are put up:
1. Root cellar, containing a vermicompost production
2. Greenhouse, containing an aquaponics production area consisting of fish and vegetables
3. Adobe house, containing a library with the vaulted ceiling of farmers secrets.
The project is kept alive by the Tigerworm Aquaponics Society who will be an elected foundation interested in investigations into zero emissions circular food production. The Tigerworm Aquaponics Society will be responsible for educational projects and information to people visiting the space.
The book introduces different articles, giving an in-depth description of the background, the inspiration, and the ideas behind the proposal for Lier Fjordbyen. The book is made in 5 copies: 3 for the jury, 1 for Nina Guzman Toft, Lier municipality, and one that is part of the container exhibition, which is open for the public 24/7.