Human Entities 2020: Margarida Mendes

Human Entities 2020: a cultura na era da inteligência artificial
4ª edição
Entrada livre, mediante registo
[English below]

Sistemas fluviais e o corpo molecular
Margarida Mendes 
Curadora, investigadora e activista

Podemos traçar o perímetro exacto da cartografia molecular de um rio e estimar o alcance que as consequências destes sistemas de fluxo catalítico têm, dentro e fora dos corpos vivos? Os sistemas fluviais e infra-estruturas circundantes são enormes sistemas hidrogeológicos, químicos e electromagnéticos, que conectam habitantes e ecossistemas através de um fluxo irreverente de descargas e movimentos, que os seres humanos tentam domar através de direitos de caudal e projetos de restauração costeira. Deste modo, as infra-estruturas aquáticas e fluviais são pontos de partida essenciais para a análise de sistemas, e reflexão sobre os corpos e ecossistemas, da escala molecular à escala planetária. Tentando compreender a ligação entre caudal fluvial, ruído, toxicidade e industrialização, irei focar-me nos habitats do rio Mississippi e do rio Tejo, questionando de que forma o nível de ruído de fundo e o desequilíbrio químico podem estar ligados a perturbações endocrinológicas. Ao investigar a continuidade química e vibracional entre o corpo e o ambiente, especularei sobre como diferentes ontologias e mecanismos sensoriais poderão ser necessários para possibilitar um debate mais profundo sobre ecossistemas ameaçados.

Margarida Mendes
Margarida Mendes é curadora, investigadora e activista. A sua pesquisa ─ com enfoque no cruzamento da cibernética, filosofia, ecologia e filme experimental ─ explora as transformações dinâmicas do ambiente e o seu impacto nas estruturas sociais e no campo da produção cultural. Integrou na equipa curatorial da 11ª Bienal de Gwangju (2016), 4ª Bienal de Design de Istambul (2018) e 11ª Bienal de Liverpool (reagendado para 2021). Em 2019, lançou a série de exposições Plant Revolution! (CIAJG, Museo La Tertulia), que questiona o encontro interespécies explorando diferentes narrativas de mediação tecnológica, e em 2016, curou a exposição Matter Fictions, no Museu Berardo, publicando um livro na Sternberg Press. É consultora de ONGs ambientalistas que trabalham sobre a mineração no mar profundo e dirigiu também diversas plataformas educacionais, como escuelita, uma escola informal do Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo - CA2M, Madrid (2017); O espaço de projectos The Barber Shop em Lisboa dedicado à pesquisa transdisciplinar (2009-16); e a plataforma de pesquisa curatorial sobre ecologia The World In Which We Occur/Matter in Flux (2014-18). Margarida Mendes é doutoranda no Centre for Research Architecture, Visual Cultures Department, Goldsmiths University of London e colabora frequentemente com o canal online de vídeo reportagem Inhabitants-tv org.

Links
http://goldsmiths.academia.edu/MargaridaMendes 
https://soundcloud.com/margaridamendes
http://www.twwwo.org/ 

A conversa será em língua inglesa e seguida de uma sessão de Q&A. Evento ao ar livre.

Integrado no evento 
Human Entities 2020: a cultura na era da inteligência artificial
4ª edição
Programa de conversas novembro 2020
Ver programa completo: https://www.cada1.net/works/human-entities-2020/ 

Organização CADA em parceria com a Trienal de Arquitectura de Lisboa


ENGLISH

Human Entities 2020: culture in the age of artificial intelligence
Fourth edition
All welcome, free booking required

River systems and the molecular body
Margarida Mendes
Curator, researcher and activist

Can we actually trace the exact perimeter of a river’s molecular cartography and the extent of the consequences that these systems of catalytic flux have within and outside living bodies? River systems and their surrounding infrastructures are enormous hydrogeological, chemical and electromagnetic systems that connect their surrounding inhabitants and ecosystems through an irreverent flux of discharges and motions that humans attempt to tame through flowage rights and coastal restoration projects. Hence, aquatic and riverine infrastructures are essential points of departure for system analysis and reflection about the bodies and ecosystems, from the molecular through to the planetary scale. In attempting to understand the connection between river flux, noise, toxicity, and industrialization, I will focus on the habitats of the Mississippi and the Tagus rivers, questioning how the level of background noise and chemical imbalance may be connected with endocrinological disruptions. By investigating the chemical and vibrational continuity between bodies and the environment, I will speculate how different ontologies and mechanisms for sensing and registry might be needed, in order to provide a deeper debate about ecosystems under distress.


Margarida Mendes
Margarida Mendes's research explores the overlap between cybernetics, ecology and experimental film, investigating environmental transformations and their impact on societal structures and cultural production. She is interested in exploring alternative modes of education and political resilience through her collaborative practice, programming, and activism. She was part of the curatorial team of the 11th Gwangju Biennale (2016), 4th Istanbul Design Biennial (2018), and 11th Liverpool Biennial (rescheduled for 2021). In 2019 she launched the exhibition series Plant Revolution! which questions the interspecies encounter while exploring different narratives of technological mediation and in 2016 curated Matter Fictions, publishing a joint reader with Sternberg Press. She is a consultant for environmental NGOs working on marine policy and deep sea mining and has directed several educational platforms, such as escuelita, an informal school at Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo - CA2M, Madrid (2017); The Barber Shop project space in Lisbon dedicated to transdisciplinary research (2009-16); and the ecological inquiry curatorial research platform The World In Which We Occur/Matter in Flux, (2014-18). She is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Research Architecture, Visual Cultures Department, Goldsmiths, University of London with the project “Deep Sea Imaginings” and is a frequent collaborator on the online channel for exploratory video and documentary reporting Inhabitants-tv org.

Links
http://goldsmiths.academia.edu/MargaridaMendes 
https://soundcloud.com/margaridamendes
http://www.twwwo.org/  

The talk will be in English and followed by a Q&A session. Open-air event.

This event is part of 
Human Entities 2020: culture in the age of artificial intelligence
Fourth edition
Public talks, November 2020
Read more about the programme: https://www.cada1.net/works/human-entities-2020/  

Organised by CADA in partnership with the Lisbon Architecture Triennale

Financiamento/Funded by: República Portuguesa – Cultura / Direção-Geral das Artes
Apoio/Support: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, ISCTE-IUL e NOVA LINCS
Design: Marco Balesteros (LETRA)
Photo: Vera Marmelo

NOTA / NOTE Covid-19: 
A organização do evento garante o cumprimento de todas as regras de saúde pública: o evento é ao ar livre, com garantia da distância social de 2 metros e o uso de máscara é obrigatória. 

The event organisers will ensure the compliance with all public health rules: the event is outdoors, with social distancing at 2 metres and mandatory use of masks.