Ghana: Nka Foundation announces call for submissions to its Fired Ceramic Architecture project

Aug. 9, 2012 - PRLog -- ^{LAND ART / LAND ARCHITECTURE RESIDENCY}

WHAT: Project explores the relationship between land art and land architecture to create fired ceramic structures  
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: Advanced students and graduates of architecture and art
WHERE: Abetenim Arts Village, 20 kilometers from Kumasi in Ashanti Region of Ghana
DATE: 1st to last day of the month from October 2012 – April 2014  
DEADLINE: No fixed deadlines (applications are accepted until all spots are filled)
COST: Organizer will provided accommodation. The international participant is responsible for costs of own airfare and proposed project; and food is €5 per day.  
CONTACT: To apply e-mail CV, date you are applying, and sample of your work to info@nkafoundation.org. For information on our previous projects go http://www.nkafoundation.org.


Land Art / Land Architecture is designed to bring together artists and architects from different countires to explores the relationship between land art and land architecture to create fired ceramic structures at Abetenim Arts Village in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Project starts with site-specific tours to immerse the group in the dialectics of observing, analyzing and drawing on the local conditions to generate a contextually sound piece. The group will then work together to complete the design process and create a land art, an earth monument to be built with earth and other materials from the site.

This is an experimental project that explores the relationship between land art and land architecture as basis for constructing green earthworks or fired earth structures. The wall of the structure may therefore be created with red earth and roofed conventionally, or the roof rendered of earth (mud) together with the wall and fired as terra cotta. If the project is to be of terra cotta, a bio-form such as an onion, mushroom or the anthill ought to be hollowed out. Wherein, we will stack firewood and smaller clay pieces. We will then fire the whole unit as in terra cotta. The smaller pieces can be installed as parts of the whole, or as takehome pieces, or for exhibition regionally or internationally to share the results with the wider public. We will use 4 weeks to complete the project. An international participants with only 2 weeks to spare may join or leave at a time in line with other commitments. A ceramic professor at the nearby university will join the group for local advisory. Some indigeneous potters are available to assist with the making and the firing of the pieces to the desired 960° C to reach red heat.



PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME
(i)   Cultural Orientation: Cultural orientation is throughout the period. Through route-specific or site-specific tours of the local resources, house calls and demonstrations of local traditions, the visitor gains awareness and skills necessary for successful adaptation to the community.  
(ii)   Focus Project: Your team will propose and build their project with the help of 1 or 2 local artisans. We encourage involve pupils in nearby schools in the process for cross-cultural and environmental education.
(iii)   Community Day: Public celebration of the completed project with the rural community by way of open house exhibition, public performance, etc.
(iv)   Project Dissemination: Post-project activities in or outside the country via real life publications, gallery exhibitions, seminal presentations, etc. The prospects of engaging the global e-community in the project process via QR system of barcodes, a website / blogging and other digital technologies are equally compelling.