Pantha Rhei on the Rhine


 Description:

“Pantha Rhei on the Rhine” is an artistic and scientific research project organized by Studio Haseeb Ahmed with the support of Pro Helvetia. It will commission three narrative sound artworks as radio plays. Each addressing the beginning, middle, or end of the river.

The artworks will be supported by a sound library collected along the River Rhine and presented in listening sessions at each of our partnering institutions of the Museum Rehmann, at the headwaters of the Rhine in Laufenberg, Switzerland, V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media, at the end of the Rhine in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and the University of Antwerp Ecosphere’s Mesodrome, a large-scale river simulation facility.

The project takes inspiration for Heraclitus’ famous fragment on Pantha Rhei, everything flows, stating that change is the only constant for "No [person] ever steps in the same river twice, as [they] are not the same and nor is the river.”

The artworks should express the latent metaphors and materials carried by the River Rhine. As one of Europe’s largest and most important waterways, the Rhine features massive complexity of enmeshed industry and ecological systems conditioned by international politics, histories, and economics. We ask, how can we read the river to provide new perspectives on urgent ecological questions that major rivers face globally?

This project is supported by Synergies grant from Pro Helvetia (Switzerland) together with Museum Rehmann (Switzerland), V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media (Netherlands), and the University of Antwerp’s Mesodrome (Belgium).

Artists will be supported with:   

• a sound library collected along the River Rhine by Studio Haseeb Ahmed
• the expertise of knowledge Ecosphere group specializing on river ecologies at University of Antwerp.
• and a grant of 4000,00 EUR each
• Presentation of artworks in listening sessions at three institutions. 

Application:
Deadline November 30th, 2024

- Include completed application form
- minumum 90 second proposal audio sketch. 

Application Form: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDzB1ph4NLlk-xs6sYU84kmi0L4Tkgpw9TCPj_8VSyYZzSUg/viewform?usp=sf_link

For further questions please contact Studio@HaseebAhmed.com

Elegibility:
All artists are able to apply. However, one production grant will go to a Swiss artist. Artists within proximity to the Rhine or project partners in Belgium, Germany, Switzlerland, the Netherlands will be favored due to their ability conduct first hand research with the River Rhine or partners. 

Timeline:

Further dates for one on one and group meetings with selected laureattes will be announced after the selection. 

2024

• October 25, 2024: Open Call Announced
  The open call for 3 artists is announced, outlining project details, requirements, and submission processes.

• November 14, 2024: Q&A session with organizer Haseeb Ahmed

• November 30, 2024: Submission Deadline for Artists
  Artists submit their applications and initial proposals by the end of November.

• December 10-12, 2024: Jury Review and Proposal Evaluations
  The jury meets to review artist submissions and proposals during these dates.

• December 20, 2024: Announcement of Selected Artists
  Announce the 3 selected artists, giving them time to start refining their proposals.

2025

• January 1-15, 2025: Artists Submit Final Proposals
  The selected artists finalize and submit their detailed proposals during this two-week period.

• March 1 - May 1, 2025: Artists' Creation Period
  Artists begin their 5-month creation period, utilizing the sound library.

• April 15-20, 2025: Midpoint Check-in
  Conduct a feedback session to assess the artists’ progress.

• May 1-10, 2025: Final Project Preparation
  Time reserved for final adjustments, logistics, and project installations.

• May 20-25, 2025: Project Presentations
  The public presentation of the completed projects at Museum Rehmann, _V2, and Mesodrome.