Oculos Super Ignes Vigilantes Volavimus
Photo North, Valve Cultural Centre, Oulu, Finland
25 September 2024 – 19 January 2025
SPEKTR Z is currently part of group exhibition Earth Gazes Back, which is part of the project More-than-Planet.
The SPEKTR Z (Sensor Polygon for Electromagnetism, Communication, Technology, Research and Sensing) mobile laboratory was developed as part of the konS Platform for Contemporary Investigative Art and entered into operation in July 2022 on the Karst plateau, during the largest wildfires in recent Slovenian history.
The laboratory is of a hybrid nature, as it consists both of modules and equipment for remote sensing and reception, and processing systems for sensor data, as well as a special department devoted to public presentations and cooperation with tactical media workers, artists, creative and high-tech industries, and research institutions.
Oculos Super Ignes Vigilantes Volavimus uses the Common Data Processing and Display Unit (CDPDU), a data display and processing architecture built to open hardware and software standards, developed within the Arctic Perspective Initiative.
The work presents various layers of data gathered within the laboratory’s operation during fires in the Karst region and allows the visitors to freely navigate through and manipulate these layers of data.
The project setting at osmo/za will feature a limited edition booklet consisting of map, images and an essay, presenting the SPEKTR Z operation during the Karst fire.
Previous exhibitions:
Solo exhibition, 29. 2. – 6. 3. 2024, osmo/za, Ljubljana, SI
Part of exhibition (Co)Owning More-than-Truth, 6. – 10. 9. 2023 @ Ars Electronica festival, Linz, AT
Part of exhibition konSekvence, 3. 3. – 2. 4. 2023 @ Cukrarna, Ljubljana
Colophon
SPEKTR Z & Marko Peljhan:
Oculos Super Ignes Vigilantes Volavimus, 2022-
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osmo/za exhibition (2024):
Design: AA & Studio Kruh (Anja Delbello, Aljaž Vesel & Gregor Makovec)
OSIVV patch: Primož Pislak
CDPDU software support: Marko Damiš
Technical support: Valter Udovičić & Andraž Šenica Pavletič
Production: Projekt Atol Institute (Tina Dolinšek, Uroš Veber & Rea Vogrinčič)
Supported by: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, Municipality of Ljubljana, Department for Culture, GO! 2025 Nova Gorica and konS ≡ platform for contemporary research arts.
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Phase 1 of the project was conducted by the SPEKTR Z collaborators: Matej Bone, Dr. Urša Kanjir, Boštjan Košiček, Matej Kravanja, Dr. Martin Lamut, Dr. Aleksandra Lobnik, Bogdan Magajna, Miha Mayer, Jernej Moderc, Dr. Leon Pavlovič, Marko Peljhan, Dr. Tomaž Rodič, Dr. Mitja Skudnik, Samo Stopar, Ana Urbas, Uroš Veber as well as members of the unmanned aerial vehicle platoons, reconnaissance companies and branch battalions of the 1st and 72nd Brigades of the Slovenian Armed Forces, members of the 154th JTAC company, members of the 152nd Air Force Squadron and members of the Air base communications and air traffic control group of the 152nd Air Force Squadron, comprising the 15th Air Force Regiment.
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Partners 2022: C-ASTRAL, Slovenia Forest Service, The Slovenian Armed Forces, The Slovenian Forestry Institute, IOS – Institute for Environmental protection and Sensors, Civil Protection, Triglav National Park, Vesolje-SI and Institute of Anthropological and Spatial Studies ZRC SAZU, Department of Remote Sensing.
Bio
SPEKTR Z (Sensor Polygon for Electromagnetism, Communication, Technology, Research and Sensing) is a polygon for research art initiated by conceptual artist and researcher Marko Peljhan. In 1992, Peljhan established the arts organization Projekt Atol and in 1995 he helped to establish the new media laboratory LJUDMILA. He presented his work in some of the most eminent institutions, biennales, exhibitions and festivals of new media in contemporary art in the world, such as documenta X, Venice Biennale, Transmediale, Istanbul Biennale, Tate Modern, MACBA, New Museum of Modern Art, P.S.1 MOMA, KIASMA, Ntt ICC Tokyo, Artlab Tokyo, ACC Gwangju, Jeu de Paume Paris, YCAM Yamaguchi and Ars Electornica, where he was also the 2007 “featured artist”. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his work, including the UNESCO digital media award, and the first award of the Prešern fund for intermedia arts in Slovenia. In 2001 he received the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica with Carsten Nicolai for their collaborative work Polar. His work has been reviewed in numerous publications such as Art Forum, New York Times, Art in America, Frieze and many others. Peljhan serves as professor of new media in interdisciplinary studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara since the summer of 2002. From 2008 to September 2013, he was the co-director of the Institute for Research in the Arts for the whole system of 10 University of California campuses, and from summer 2017 to summer 2022, he was the Chair of the Media Arts and Technology program at UCSB, where he also serves as director of the SYSTEMICS laboratory since 2011. In 2019 he represented Slovenia at the 57th Venice Biennale, and in the summer his program ISOLABS was selected as one of the featured multi-year events within the Cultural Capital of Europe GO2025 Nova Gorica-Gorizia program. In addition to artistic activities, Peljhan also acted as one of the founders for the establishment of the Center of Excellence for space technologies and sciences SPACE-SI, where he took care of international cooperation, and is one of the promotors for the establishment of the Slovenian Space Agency. He was also one of the instrumental actors for the creation and launch of the first Slovenian microsatellite NEMO-HD, which was successfully launched in space on an Ariane Vega launcher in September 2020. In 2007 he co-founded the high technology company C-ASTRAL. In the radio spectrum he operates as S54MX.
SPEKTR Z
