MILKproject follows the milk from the udder of the cow to the plate of the consumer, by means of the people involved. All those involved were given a GPS device for a day: one of the days that they were somehow occupied with the movements of this dairy product. The project was presented internationally and won a Golden Nica at Ars Electronica in 2005.
In collaboration Ieva Auzina and Rixc, centre for new media
Artistic motivation
When confronted with the images of their route data, the participants of the AmsterdamREALTIME project started to tell us a rich diversity of stories, triggered by the visualisation of their routes. We decided the next project to focus on this: the reactions of people to their own routes. Also we decided to experience how GPS would hold as a medium for rural landscape rather than city. This was strongly motivated by the fact that Ieva and Esther wanted to find a new and relevant way to choose landscape as subject matter for this piece.
Practical information
Year of production 2003-2004. The installation (5×5 meter) is part of the collection of ZKM. The website and print of the map are part of the collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art. Both versions are available for exhibition purposes via the artists.
Dutch participant Leeuw Beijdorff: pointing to and commenting on a specific spot on his route.
Latvian participant Andis Ozols: pouring milk in his milktank, during his daily route to collect milk.
The kitchen of Latvian participants Martins and Zaiga Treimani: family and workers gather to watch and comment on Martins route.
Latvian participant Zaiga Treimani found a new born calf in the field, during her day of GPS-recording.
Dairy farmers along the milk collector Andis Ozols route.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Installation view: the presentation at the local museum in Rumbini, Latvia.
exibition history:
2014
FIELDS, Arsenals Exhibition hall of Latvian National Arts Museum Riga, LV
2008
Ecomedia. Ecological Strategies in Today’s Art Edith-Ruß-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg, DE
2007
Tiroler Landes Museum Innsbruck, AT
2006
Salone del Mobile Milaan, IT
2005
As Winner of the 2005 Prix Ars Electronica ‘Golden Nica’ for Interactive Art MILKproject will be preDutch Ministry of Agriculture Nature and Food Savety ( LNV)
The Hague, Netherlandssented at the “Cyberarts exhibition”
O.K Center for Contemporary Art
ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
the exhibition “Making Things Public”.
2004
Justus Lipsius Building, Brussels, Belgium
In the framework of EU Agricultural and Fisheries Council.
AgroVak (Dutch farmers fair; farmers and related professionals only)
Brabanthallen ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Kasteel Groeneveld
Groeneveld 2 Baarn, Netherlands
The museum of Barda family “Rumbini”
in the region of Limbazi, Latvia
press coverage and other writing
A list of past publications on the project can be found here