PERFORMANCE IN SALT MINE
2018
Performance and Sound Art
Deep in the womb of the earth, Amy Karle taps the space through performance to share the experience the pressures on the body being so deep in the earth, and the sensations and forces of being in this ancient and historically loaded space of the Wieliczka Salt Mines of Poland which reaches over 1000 feet down into the earth, with a history of human use since Neolithic times (excavated from 13th century). Using an electroencephalogram (EEG) neuroheadset, Amy Karle translates her brainwaves into musical composure by connecting brain activity to musical instruments in a digital interface, with a projected visualization of brainwaves.
Sound and selected video of brainwave recording also used in part in a planetarium show (film) by Amy Karle and collaborators at the Heavens of Copernicus Planetarium – Niebo Kopernika opening May 2018 in Warsaw, Poland.
Created while American Arts Incubator Exchange Artist to Poland and Artist in Residence at Copernicus Science Centre Warsaw (Centrum Nauki Kopernik), with support from the US Embassy Warsaw, US Consulate Krakow, and sponsorship by Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines, UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Kopalnia Soli “Wieliczka” Kopalnia Soli “Bochnia” ). American Arts Incubator is a cultural exchange initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administered by ZERO1 to address community issues through cross-cultural art collaborations. The 2018 incubator in Poland was implemented in collaboration with U.S. Embassy Warsaw and the Copernicus Science Centre.
Amy Karle’s work as American Arts Incubator exchange artist to Poland and as first Artist in Residence at Copernicus Science Center considers the “Layers of Life” and how we form — biologically / socially / emotionally / spiritually — on all levels, while questioning, “What is life in the bio-tech era?” Karle wanted to transcend these layers — from the micro to the macro, from the individual to the social, from the internal to the external, from the depths of the earth to the sky, space, and beyond. She conducted artistic research in the labs at Copernicus Science Centre and in two UNESCO heritage sites, the Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines. She did research in one of the deepest parts of the earth accessible to humans in Bochnia, and studied crystallization, salt and concepts of space at Copernicus. Karle researched how nature forms and grows: in this case the natural additive manufacturing (natural 3D printing) of salt and crystallization. She also considered salt as a vital, life-sustaining element in our bodies and of our earth, and learned about theories surrounding the origins of life concerning salt. Combining her research, influences, and inspiration, she created performance art, sculptures, prints, and a planetarium show (film) for the Heavens of Copernicus Planetarium. Karle is thankful for her partners, participants, collaborators and supporters without whose support this project would not be possible.