M.A.R.I.N.

M.A.R.I.N. RESIDENCY MODEL + PROTOCOLS

For the first three years M.A.R.I.N.’s operational focus is a mobile residency program set on a catamaran sail boat, redesigned and equipped to be a sustainable environment for transdisciplinary research in arts, sciences and technology. Emerging from long experience of collaboration within media art, M.A.R.I.N. develops new, integrative arts/science/technology practice models. The below formats give an idea of how M.A.R.I.N. residencies are realized and how the research process and results are shared.

We are envisioning the project as a series of 30-60 day residencies of 4 to 6 on-board participants (+ captain), with a constant real time presence on the web. Even though the primary phase of the project from 2009/2011 will be focused on marine ecologies, the vision of the sea faring laboratory offers a discussion platform, an aggregation of problems identification and potential tangible solutions to sustainability in a wider sense.

Calls for Proposals and hand picked residencies

M.A.R.I.N. residencies are both regional and thematic in order to be able to contribute to different ends of ecological and artistic research, to strengthen connections between localities towards an art and science network on ecology, and to impact different harbors around European seas and oceans. The project will be managed through open calls for residencies and project proposals, starting in January 2009 with an open deadline and the focus on the following topics:

MARINE ECOLOGY (cyanobacteria, alien species)
LITTORAL NARRATIVES AND MAPPING
OPEN TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
MARINE ECOLOGY 2 (spillage, overnutrition, heavy metals)
WEARABLE COMPUTING AND ECOLOGICAL SENSING FOR THE SEAS

The selected residents reflect their research area through an intercultural social experience; one of the criteria for the selection of participants will thus be their likely contribution as catalysts to the residency. Particularly in the beginning of M.A.R.I.N., residents will be hand picked by M.A.R.I.N. association board and partner network, thus combining knowledge of what residents do for art and science, and how they could socially integrate. With enough experience of running the residencies, we will also invite partner organizations to host residencies fairly independently, yet under M.A.R.I.N. guidance. Also thematic calls for proposals will be made each year.

Introduction to M.A.R.I.N. concepts of research: each resident will provide one or few research questions, or an iterative project/production process that can be realistically carried out during a 30- or 60-day residency. M.A.R.I.N. residency challenges its participants to collaborate, to combine ideas, and innovate while pursuing individual or team tasks. We also encourage contributions to upgrade the boat both technologically and as a cultural vehicle. A long term goal of our residency is to create sustainable research models, which enable artists and researchers to continue collaboration after a residency, and foster collaborative situations also with future residents.

Sailing and safety tutorials: The M.A.R.I.N. vessel requires the presence of an experienced sailor. While maintaining full artistic and research freedom, the entire residency team must agree to take orders from the captain when it has to do with sailing and safety. In the beginning of each residency, safety and sailing tutorials are done first while in the dock, and continued during 2 days of test sailing and living on-board.

M.A.R.I.N. tool kit introduction: scientific equipment, data sets, navigation tools, low-power computing gear, solar and wind systems, water system will be introduced to residency participants.

Log books: each participant writes a diary that integrates their residency experience and research process.

Mess meets: presenting projects, sharing ideas, cross-fertilizing research agendas.

M.A.R.I.N. HAM+NET Radio: broadcasting over amateur radio and satellite from the boat to netcast servers in the partner organizations, M.A.R.I.N. schedules an Internet radio stream on a weekly basis. Over time, M.A.R.I.N. also invites electronic musicians to compose music for the seas, which it will use as part of its broadcasts. In harbors and littoral areas, M.A.R.I.N. uses open source network software and hardware systems to connect to the Internet.
Open sea narrowcasts: uploading GPS position to on-line map and relating log book texts and images with the location of the M.A.R.I.N. boat and basic ecological data gathered.

Harbor uploads: uploading video, sound, and larger data sets to M.A.R.I.N. on-line database + web site.

Offshore workshops: participants share their expertise on various topics ranging from ecology to cultural theory, sensors, radio practice, and so on.

Harbor workshops: run by partner organizations, or by M.A.R.I.N., inviting other artists and scientists and commmunities to participate.

Harbor events: public presentation of M.A.R.I.N. and its results. M.A.R.I.N. designs innovative light sheds and tents to be used in harbors as presentation venues as well as projection surfaces and booths. Depending on the nature of the residency, school classes and local communities are often invited to join our artists and researchers.

Exhibitions: Work developed on M.A.R.I.N. and the residency itself are offered for showing at various international festivals, exhibitions and fairs. Each artist and team can do so also on their own, but they also agree that their work can be shown or published as part of M.A.R.I.N. group exhibitions and other forms of presentation.
Documentation: besides the on-line communication and publishing, HD quality video documentation is done frequently, enabling publishing a M.A.R.I.N. DVD after one expedition season. We feel it is important to be able to present the residency and its artistic and scientific results easily at festivals and events also without the presence of the boat.

Intellectual property: All participants must agree to open source (GPL or Creative Commons) licensing of research results. They can keep artistic copyright over artwork though they produce, but not data or technology that it is built with. These will accumulate through M.A.R.I.N. research over the years and be available to residents and the wider public. We will also develop models how we can work with proprietary innovations and companies who do not subscribe to open source or communing, but M.A.R.I.N. will always make sure its core program remains available to the public.