A Familiar Unknown with V.V.F.A

24th September 2019, 6.30-8pm

Join Sitraka Rakotoniaina and Andrew Friend of V.V.F.A to discuss space exploration and how this perspective-altering endeavour has (literally and figuratively) shaped worldviews and cultures.

The space race of the mid 20th century has paved the way for a better understanding of Earth as a living system and provided a new framework to explore the narrative construct of humanity’s future; the “greater good” and subsequent “better tomorrow” have become common places. Yet, today’s coming of age of the “new space” serving as fuel for the collective imagination could primarily push the corporate values leading to the private ownership of a substantial share of humanity’s future. From exploration to exploitation and migration to colonisation, space narratives and the futures that they depict have often championed the views of a few, rather than fostering the expected global identity. From O’neill’s vision of outer space suburbia to Musk’s starman, future narratives and visions seem increasingly less diverse.

This reading session aims to examine the existing treaties and rules shaping the collective imagination in order to propose more “democratic” alternatives, and culminate in the performance of a proposed utopia.

No prior reading or preparation necessary, the readings will be shared on the date.

V.V.F.A

Very Very Far Away (VVFA) is a platform dedicated to democratising future narratives. Founded in 2015 V.V.F.A explores multiple perspectives bringing members of the pubic and experts together to craft and disseminate new cultural fictions. Through co-enquiries, podcast and a series of special projects V.V.F.A engages and empowers audiences both in the creation and the communication their futures.

From installation and sculpture to sound art through to technical devices and performance V.V.F.A projects cross multiple media aiming to embody and capture elements of the worlds formed during the co-enquiry. Projects are developed alongside co-enquiry and podcast, the three forms creatively informing one another.

V.V.F.A explores new modes of creative collaboration between artists, technologists, scientists and partner institutions worldwide.

Forest Rangers is a reading group exploring the current state of the commons and their possible future. Each session will expand on one of five topics: alternative art spaces, natural resources, education, open source economics and outer space migration. Through this we hope to establish a comprehensible set of understandings and goals to nurture our common resources. Each group is led by a researcher in order to spark conversation and prompt ideas, inviting participants to share their experiences and thoughts. The project is organised by Diaspore, a research platform founded by artist Lou-Atessa Marcellin and will be hosted at Jupiter Woods for its entire duration, culminating in the recording of 5 podcasts and a live event in December 2019.