Event: Nuclear Art and Archives

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DCA in partnership with Visual Research Centre, University of Dundee, and Arts Catalyst.

A day of artists’ films and discussions about nuclear art and archives considering the kinds of knowledge and reflective spaces that contemporary art produces for rethinking the nuclear. As the civil industry starts to consolidate its archives at the new Nuclear Archive in Wick, Scotland, the European debate is focused on records, knowledge and memory of geological storage of high-level radioactive waste. The post-truth nuclear economy raises serious questions about the long-term security of the nuclear programme, and an investigation of contemporary nuclear aesthetics is becoming increasingly urgent. All the events take place within the DCA building which includes the gallery, cinema, Visual Research Centre, and bookshop.

Booking for the Film Programme £6: http://www.dca.org.uk/whats-on/event/nuclear-art-and-archives
The afternoon events are free but booking essential: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nuclear-art-and-archives-tickets-32441382047

Day Schedule

10.30 – 12.30 Perpetual Uncertainty Film Programme, DCA Cinema
12.30 – 1.30 Lunch
1.30 – 4.30 Roundtable on Art and Nuclear Archives, Visual Research Centre
4.30 – 5.00 Time to view Mark Wallinger Exhibition
5.00 – 6.00 Nuclear Culture Source Book launch, DCA Bookshop
6.00 – 7.00 Premiere of Yellow Cake, Gair Dunlop

Nuclear Culture Film Programme

10.30am – 12.30pm DCA Cinema Tickets £6

A programme of artists’ films investigating contemporary nuclear concerns: Susan Schuppli investigates the remote sensing of radioactive isotopes in ‘Trace Evidence’ (54’); Lise Autogena & Joshua Portway’s film ‘Kuannersuit; Kvanefjeld’ explores the global politics of uranium mining and landrights in Greenland (30’); Karen Kramer’s ‘The Eye that Articulates Belongs on Land’ (23’) explores the post-Fukushima landscape; Nick Crowe & Ian Rawlinson’s film ‘Courageous’ captures the body of a British nuclear submarine (7.20’), whilst Andy Weir’s ‘Plureal Deal’ speculates on the deep time of the nuclear cycle and its waste products (8’).

Roundtable on Nuclear Art and Archives

1.30pm – 4.30pm Visual Research Center, Dundee Contemporary Arts.

The Nuclear and Caithness Archive at Wick will be home to the archives of the entire UK civil nuclear industry as well as the historical archives of the county of Caithness. It is designed to hold an estimated 20 km of records for generations to come. But what are the time scales of the nuclear? How do artists deal with questions of radioactive deep time? This event aims to rethink how the nuclear archive is embedded in complex forms of materials, culture, architecture and landscape. Presentations by: Ele Carpenter, Curator; Garance Warburton, Community Engagement Officer, Nucleus: Nuclear and Caithness Archive; artist Gair Dunlop; artist and co-ordinator of Power in the Land, Helen Grove-White.

1.30 – 1.45 Welcome Beth Bate and Sarah Cook
1.45 – 3.00 Presentations
3.00 – 3.15 Tea break
3.15 – 4.30 Roundtable Discussion

5-6pm The Nuclear Culture Source Book Launch, DCA Bookshop
Edited by Ele Carpenter, Black Dog Publishing, Bildmuseet and Arts Catalyst, 2016.

Yellowcake, A film by Gair Dunlop
6pm Visual Research Centre, DCA. Premiere
The rise and fall of the UK nuclear fission research programme, seen through its sites, archives, memories and remains. (63.26”)


About EcoArtScotland:

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.

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