Understanding the essence of flowers, exploring pollen -
Workshop on Harakka island, June 12 -14, 2013
There is an intrinsic link between bees and flowers. In evolution they arose at the same time, bees feeding on nectar and pollen; the flowers relying on the pollinators for reproduction. For bees pollen is essential as protein rich food. When harvesting pollen, the pollination of the plant species is guaranteed almost as a side effect. Bees visiting flowers and harvesting their essence is a choreography that nature performs every year again. In these encounters, the flowers disclose their secret to the bees, who take it home in the form of scent and taste and concentrate it for cold winter days. The fermentation and concentration that bees perform in the process of making honey cannot be imitated, making this process unique and impossible to artificially reproduce. Honey becomes the bees’ translation of a poetic dialogue in the fields, containing the essence of the visited plants.During this 3 day workshop on Harakka island, we explore the environment of the bees living on the island, with a focus on vegetation and flowers and the poetic aspects of plants and their essence. We will explore how to
- Collect pollen from flowers and from the bees’ products
- Microscope pollen and analyse soil, water and air quality
- Map the island’s vegetation
And we will use the data and the miniature world of insects as inspiration for drawing and storytelling.The hands-on workshop is guided by Christina Stadlbauer (scientist, beekeeper, artist), Asta Ekman (scientist, leader of the Harakka environmental laboratory) and Lina Kusaite (illustrator). It takes place in collaboration with Harakka Island, Luontotalo, Helsingin Ympäristökeskus.Melliferopolis is a research project by Christina Stadlbauer at Aalto BiofiliA. More info and sign up from April 2013 onwards.
Melliferopolis Lecture at Arabia
Tuesday, October 16th, at 11 am, Room 6036B, in Aalto University, Arabia Campus, department of design
The lecture is hosted by the Creative Sustainability Masters programme at Aalto University.
Harakka Honey Harvest 2012
Thursday August 2nd, 14 pm, Harakka Island
We harvest the honey from the hive in Harakka after their first season in Melliferopolis. This can be seen more as activity than as event – and no official announcement happened. For more info and some images please go here.
Melliferopolis Seminar May 2012
Saturday May 12th, 12-15 pm, Camp Pixelache at Arbis (Dagmarinkatu 3)
The Art of Gathering Environmental Data – unconference at Camp Pixelache in Helsinki with Jennifer Gabrys/Goldsmiths University, London, Erich Berger/Finnish Bioart Society, Christina Stadlbauer/Melliferopolis and others. Pixelache Camp
Tuesday 15th, 11 am – 6 pm, Seminar at Aalto ARTS, Arabia Campus, 5th floor, room 5022
Series of lectures and discussions, with writer Johanna Sinisalo, researchers Lauri Ruottinen/Hunajaluotsi Oy, Stephen Venn and Kaisa Hauru/Urban Ecology Reseach Group, Helsinki University, Christina Stadlbauer and others.
Programme:
| Christina Stadlbauer | Melliferopolis – an introduction to the project and its vision | 11:00 – 12:00 |
| Ulla Taipale | About Future Art Base / Biological Arts | 12:00 – 12:15 |
| Ferenc Vilisics | How can urban environments support bees? | 12:15 – 12:45 |
| Break for Lunch | 12:45 – 13:45 | |
| Lauri Ruottinen | Introduction to beekeeping - how difficult or easy is it to become a beekeeper |
13:45 – 14:30 |
| Saana Karlsson | Urban gardening and allotments -possibilities of installing a hive | 14:30 – 15:00 |
| Stephen Venn | How to maintain populations of insect pollinators in urban regions | 15:00 – 15:30 |
| Break | 15:30 – 16:00 | |
| Kaisa Hauru | Humans meet bees – antagonism or harmony? | 16:00 – 16:30 |
| Johanna Sinisalo interviewed by Tere Vadén | Bees and the illusion of immortality | 16:30 – 17:30 |
| Christina Stadlbauer | Discussion and reflections, summary and outlook | 17:30 – 18:00 |
Melliferopolis Workshop Hands-on – May 2012
Wednesday 16th - Friday 18th, 10 am – 4 pm, Melliferopolis Workshop at Harakka Island, Luontotalo, Helsingin Ympäristökeskus
Hands-on and participatory workshop days, where themes of Melliferopolis are explored in more detail and implemented practically. The workshop leaders are Christina Stadlbauer, Lauri Ruottinen/Hunajaluotsi Oy and Stephen Venn/Helsinki University.
| Wed, 16th of May | 10:00 – 13:00 | Introduction to beekeeping – Lauri Ruottinen | Harakka |
| Wed, 16th of May | 14:00 – 18:00 | Working with the material – (wood, wax, tools), prepare the hives (indoors) for installment later in the week – Christina Stadlbauer | Harakka |
| Thu, 17th of May | 10:00 – 13:00 | Presentation of ideas/planned interventions discussions and outlook to what comes next |
Harakka |
| Thu, 17th of May | 14:00 – 16:00 | Hands-on work on insect hotels – Stephen Venn | Harakka |
| Fri, 18th of May | 10:00 – 12:00 | Installation of beehives – Harakka, Kaisaniemi, Keilaniemi | Harakka, a.o. |
| Fri, 18th of May | 13:00 – 16:00 | Visits at existing beehives – Savoy Hotel | Helsinki centre |
(The programme of the worskhop might undergo slight changes due to weather conditions / availability of bee colonies, etc., so please consult this website frequently!)
The Harakka island can be reached by ferry from the peer near Ursula Cafe. The fare is 4 € return, and has to be paid by the participants. Lunch arrangements on Harakka island are possible (home-cooked vegetarian food!). Please be in touch to sign up for this option.
Number of participants for the workshop is limited. Please sign up at ulla.taipale@aalto.fi
Melliferopolis is a research project by Christina Stadlbauer at Aalto University, Future Art Base.
Some impressions of the first day:
This was a great opportunity to learn, thank You all for the great events! Ferenc