A look back at an atypical, cross-border co-creation phase

How can we collectively rethink our relationship with natural resources? This urgent and complex question cannot be addressed in a vacuum. It calls for a multifaceted dialogue, combining sensory experiences, scientific knowledge, artistic creations and practical commitments.

It was in this spirit that the co-creation phase of the (re)connecting.earth (03) Biennale brought together more than 1,000 participants. It was a foundational stage of the project, designed as a time for experimentation, knowledge sharing and collective reflection that will feed into the upcoming Biennale.

Educational workshops and youth participation

This initial stage took place over ten days and in a variety of formats. Twenty-four classes from the canton of Geneva took part in educational workshops designed for children. The art-werk association's team of facilitators has been running an educational programme in the canton's primary schools for the past two years. The works produced by the pupils took centre stage in the exhibition presented at the Salle du Faubourg, affirming the importance attached to the views of young people in the reflection on resources.

This participatory dynamic continued with numerous workshops for families and students from other institutions, broadening the circle of reflection.

Cross-border conferences and meetings

At the same time, conferences and meetings were held on both sides of the border. In Switzerland, a conference was held at the Haute école de musique, while in France, the Villa du Parc hosted a discussion. These events provided an opportunity to address and question the concept of natural resources, seeking to redefine and reframe it. The exchanges notably opened up a reflection on the place of dairy animals, also considered as resources, and on the ethical, social and economic implications of this categorisation.

It is striking to see how a scientific approach can open up quantified and hopeful perspectives on the power of art and emotions in socio-ecological transformation processes. Professor Tobias Bruch's lecture highlighted the central role of emotions in taking action and in the ability to envisage societal transformations. It also showed how a scientist, without specific training in art history or exhibition curating, can develop his thinking and commitment based on works of art that touch him directly. The lecture is now available online.

Performances and artistic creations

Beyond theoretical discussions, these questions were further explored through Yasuko's performance, followed by a lecture, as well as through the screening of Christian Jankowski's The Hunt, presented in the Salle du Faubourg exhibition space. This video further enriched the discussions on the relationship between hunting, domination, economics and representation, in dialogue with the works on display.

Videos by artists who will participate in the main phase of the Biennale, such as Ana Alenso and Séverin Guelpa, were also presented. They provided a tone for the ongoing reflections and nourished a creative environment conducive to the emergence of new ideas.

The role-playing game proposed by the performance of Carina Erdman, Lore D. Sellis and Steph Holl-Trieu allowed for a playful and participatory exploration of the social mechanisms linked to the trading of resources and the development of economic systems based on their exploitation. This performance, presented at the Salle du Faubourg, promoted an embodied understanding of often abstract dynamics.

The exhibition as a space for transmission

The exhibition itself was designed not only as a showcase, but also as a place for transmitting and sharing knowledge related to the exploitation, use and consumption of natural resources. A participatory bibliography, fed by creative activities, enabled contributions from the public to be collected and an initial overview of the concerns expressed by the people of Geneva to be sketched out.

Memorable experiences

Certain experiences had a particularly strong impact on the discussions, such as the screw sorting workshop offered by the Matériuum association. This initiative, which might have seemed somewhat unusual at first glance, sparked in-depth reflection on forms of circularity and on the economic mechanisms capable of legitimising the conscious and rational reuse of materials within a capitalist system based on growth. Other experiences based on direct contact and practical engagement, such as those offered by partner initiatives De Fil en Fil and Histoire sans chute, also contributed to enriching this period of experimentation.

Outlook for the Biennial (re)connecting.earth - ressources sensibles

With just over 1,000 participants, this stage of the project proved to be highly instructive for continuing curatorial research and preparing forthcoming exhibitions. Content related to these various initiatives will gradually be posted online, allowing the reflections initiated during this co-creation phase to be extended and deepened.