STUDY VISIT
2025
@ UR Institute – research & development laboratories Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, Croatia
07– 09/ 03/ 2025
Open for: 5 participants (18+ years of age)
Under the scope of the international BioAwaking program, UR Institute will open doors of its research & development laboratories in Dubrovnik to artists and art producers interested in biotechnology related art (BioArt) production.
We invite all individuals involved in previous BioAwaking program activities (workshops, forum, exhibitions, talks etc.) who had the opportunity to be introduced in BioArt, to apply for this open call and explore laboratory aspect of art production deeper.
The idea behind study visit is to enable knowledge transfer between partner countries (Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia&Herzegovina) in BioArt, and building regional capacities in new creative industries at the intersection of biotechnology, art and nature.
The study visit combines exploration activities with an in depth hands-on laboratory experience in biotechnology techniques with potential use in BioArt & Biodesign, next to a field research expedition in local biodiversity. Activities will be guided by Gjino Šutić – UR Institute director & Paula Garbin – scientist in residence.
Due to the Creative Europe framework, the study visit is fully funded (travel & accommodation covered).
Applications will be evaluated by our jury, with top 5 (who show potential to produce a personal BioArt project in near future) selected for a study visit.
Who can apply:
– Artists (professional or beginners) and support staff (producers, scientists, curators, gallerists, managers etc.) from Serbia, Bosnia&Herzegovina and Slovenia, interested in BioArt, who participated in any form on some of the previous BioAwaking activities (online DIY workshops, forum, exhibition etc.) and thus have basic understanding of BioArt
Participants:
Jelena Sibinović – BiH – Artist, student
Milko Kovačina – BiH – Environmental scientist
Vesna Opavski – Serbia – Artist
Nenad Krsmanović – Serbia – Research associate, PhD in Biological Sciences
Nastja Amrožič – Slovenia – Artist
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺
The study visit program lasted 3 days
DAY 1
FRIDAY 07/03/25; 14:00 – 19:00
@ UR INSTITUTE, OBALA IVANA PAVLA II 44A, 20000 DUBROVNIK
- Guided tour through UR Institute research labs in Dubrovnik
- Introduction into safety at work in biotechnological laboratories
- Hands-on introduction in cultivation of microorganisms with potential use is BioArt (pigment and biomaterial producing bacteria, yeasts, molds)
- Intro into common and advanced biotechnology laboratory equipment and tools (equipment for work with microorganisms and cells, genetic and molecular engineering, molecular and cellular cloning etc.)
DAY 2
SATURDAY 08/03/25; 10:00 – 15:00
@ COASTLINE OF DUBROVNIK
Field expedition to Dubrovnik Coastline:
- Introduction to local microclimate & biodiversity of biotechnological interest
- Introduction into current eco-engineering related research projects at UR Institute
- Hands-on intro into DIY analysis of soil, water and biosamples
- Hands-on Micro-photo safari – studying diversity of local protozoa and microscopic animals and exploration into organic structural design
DAY 3
SUNDAY 09/03/25; 10:00 – 15:00
@ UR INSTITUTE, OBALA IVANA PAVLA II 44A, 20000 DUBROVNIK
Introduction in molecular analysis and engineering methods:
- Hands-on introduction into chromatography
- Hands-on introduction in electrophoresis
- Case study molecular engineering and proteomics in Virtual reality and related (VR/XR/AR)
Wrap-up session – Daydreaming on BioArt / future perspectives
Photography: Tanja Minarik
Applications were open until Monday 24. February 2025.
Applications were made via online forms found on the following link – HERE.
2024
Kersnikova Institute; Kapelica Gallery + Laboratory for Artificial Life (BioTehna, RAMPA Lab, Vivarium)
Ljubljana, Slovenija
26 – 28 / 6 / 2024
5 participants 18+ years of age
Study visit is aimed towards investigation of established production platforms and the functions of their laboratories, their capacity, challenges, and activities.
Participants got insights into investigative art projects being produced at Kersnikova institute in 2024, and also got acquainted with laboratory spaces, equipment, materials, and processes related to analysis, cultivation and manipulation of biological organisms and other biomaterials, used in production of investigative art projects and installations.
The BioAwaking consortium invited individuals and groups of people, interested in setting-up laboratories in their own local communities, artists already experimenting with bioart, managers of festivals, curators, gallerists …
The Study visit program lasted 3 days.
Participants:
Nikolina Kuzmić – Croatia – Junior Artist
Milana Rakić – Serbia – Mycologist (Assistant professor)
Angelina Biskupljanin – Serbia – Junior Artist
Jelena Komloš – Serbia – Scientist (Manager)
Nataša Mazalica – BiH – Biologist (Environmentalist)
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺
DAY 1
(26. 6. 2024); 10:00 – 17:00
Participants had a quick Kersnikova Institute walkthrough; Introduction to Kapelica Gallery and Laboratory for Artificial Life (BioTehna, RAMPA & Vivarium Lab) and meeting the Kersnikova’s curatorial and production team, led by Kristijan Tkalec
That was followed by Biotehna (biotechnological laboratory at Kersnikova Institute) workshop with scientific expert collaborator and leader of BioTehna Kristijan Tkalec who gave an in-depth Introduction to the conception and evolution of the laboratory.
Participants also got acquainted with the laboratory set-up, equipment and materials via hands-on workshop with Kristijan Tkalec, showcasing basic skills of sterilising and handling of materials and equipment (clean chamber, centrifuge, grow chamber, microscope …). The workshop focused on specific processes, vital to production of running art projects at Kersnikova in 2024.
DAY 2
27/6/2024; 10:00 – 17:00
On the second day, Kersnikova organized Case presentation of running (bio)art projects in production at Kersnikova Institute, where the participants met artists Dorotea Dolinšek, Dmitry Morozov and art collective Where dogs rung, who provided an insight into their art practices and current projects..
DAY 3
28/6/2024; 10:00 – 17:00
Kersnikova’s curator and producer Jana Putrle Srdić gave a historical and curatorial overview lecture of Kapelica Gallery and Kersnikova Institute, followed by a curatorial walkthrough of EMAP 2024 exhibition at Kersnikova Institute and another artist insight session with Zoran Srdić Janežič.
Photography: Mojca Gorjan
Applications were open until Wednesday 10. June 2024.
Applications were made via online forms found on the following link – HERE.
Support
The Creative Europe program of the European Union supports activities that promote cultural diversity and respond to the needs and challenges of the cultural and creative sectors. The main objectives of the program are to safeguard the competitiveness and economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors, particularly the audiovisual sector. The program’s new approach will contribute to the recovery of these sectors by supporting their efforts to become more inclusive, digitalized, and sustainable in their environment.
The project is co-funded by the Creative Europe program of the European Union under grant agreement No. 10112849. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the funding body can be held responsible for them.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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