Reverse Archaeology - 43°15 '35” N 2°56'14.9″W consists of an exhibition and placement of a time capsule to be opened in 3023, as a testimony to the current ecological and historical moment. Hermetically sealed, it contains a selection of objects gathered by the students of the UPV/EHU and Azkuna Zentroa’s Own Practice and Theory in Contemporary Arts and Culture Master’s Degree.
During the seminar delivered in this Master´s Degree by Iratxe Jaio and Klaas van Gorkum, the participants have addressed issues regarding the ecological collapse, the legacy of the present and the consequences of applying a very long-term perspective to cultural practice. What does it mean for an artistic object to exist beyond the scope of the immediate attention economy of contemporary life? What if it is seen or experienced by nobody, because it is hidden, never to be found? What if it is only discovered centuries into the future by a civilization which bears no resemblance to ours or shares no cultural code?
The black box is the result of a reflection on these questions. The participants have documented every step of the process to create a detailed inventory of the contents and ensure there is a record of its existence prior to its disappearance.
June 2nd, 2023: Black box placement ceremony in the Atrium of Cultures.
Participants: Xabier Barrutia, Miren Bayona, Ekain, Paula Carcamo, Victor Díez, Juana Esparza, Sabin Fígaro, Koldo Gutiérrez, Edurne Iriondo, Arantzazu Luzarraga, Lucía Meyiro, Iñaki Olarra, Alfredo Olarra, Jesús M.ª Platón, Manuela Varona, Kaizen Vegas, Juan Viedma.
