Terrestrische Universität: Prospecting Ocean

The conversation highlights the state of our oceans. Armin Linke’s film »Prospecting Ocean«, created in 2018, is the result of a three-year investigation into the future of the oceans.

The project is mediated by legislation intended to reconcile the conflicting interests of scientific exploration, commercial extraction, and environmental protection. Interviews with scientists, glimpses into international conferences, and actions by local activist groups in Papua New Guinea are accompanied by a monitor displaying commentaries, thus making visible the complex network of interdependencies among the different actors involved in the decision making about and investigation into the future of the oceans. The global oceans are one of the most unexplored parts of the »Critical Zone«. They fulfill an essential role in maintaining the homeostasis of the planet.

Focusing on these specifics, Armin Linke will give an insight into his artistic practice and work within the frame of the exhibition »Critical Zones«. A conversation between the artist and Philipp Ziegler, head of the curatorial department of ZKM, will explore the following questions: How will the »new global gold rush« of deep-sea mining affect the health of the planet in the future? How can we prevent it from resembling past paradigms of conflict over resource exploration, including the marginalization of indigenous peoples and their rights and disregard for environmental and social implications?

For over twenty years, photographer and filmmaker Armin Linke has documented how humanity uses technologies and knowledge to transform the surface of the earth and adapt it to its needs. In a collective approach with other collaborators, the narratives of his works expand on the level of multiple discourses.