The Temporary Telecommunication Union, Simon Ripoll-Hurier, Uncertainty Scenarios at the chapel of Greylight Projects, Brussels, BE (2017)

Exhibition view with works by Amélie Bouvier, Enough Room for Space, 2018

reference material collage of ‘Alice and Bob (future perfect), Antye Guenther, 2018

Diagram with scenarios for 'The Fair Deal', collaboration with Galeri NON and Goldin + Senneby, Art Brussels, 2015

M&A, Goldin + Senneby for The Fair Deal at Art Brussels, 2015

M&A, Goldin + Senneby for The Fair Deal at Art Brussels, 2015

2015 - 2022

Uncertainty Scenarios

Experimental research project

Initiated by: Marjolijn Dijkman and Amélie Bouvier

Involved: Amélie Bouvier, Maxime Bondu, Marjolijn Dijkman, Antye Guenther, Toril Johannessen, Jean Katambayi Mukendi, Pádraic E. Moore, Daniela de Paulis, Simon Ripoll-Hurier, Maarten Vanden Eynde

Participants / guests: Sol Archer, Stephen Boyd Davis, Alejandro Alonso Diaz, Ramon Amaro, Theo Atrokpo, Rebecca Bligh, John Ryan Brubaker, Florence Cheval, Cosco (Louis de Cordier), Owen Cotton-Barrat, Sven Dehens, Julien Griffit, Alexis Destoop, Kris Dittel, Aurélien Dupuis, Caroline Edwards, André van Es, Mark Fisher, Goldin + Senneby, Jay Griffiths, Cathy Haynes, Elias Heuninck, Denis Maksimov (Avenir Institute), Raewyn Martyn, Cécile Massart, Wesley Meuris, Sofia Lemos, Maya van Leemput (Agence Future), Myriam Mihindou, Magda Osman, Steeve Sabatto, Murray Shanahan, Philip Sheldrake, Femke Snelting, Maarten Speekenbrink, Emily Penn, Emma Perrochon, Pierre Rubio, Fatos Ustek, Filip Van Dingenen, Jamie Ward, Olivier Weber, Matthew C. Wilson.

Partners / Venues: Fig 2. at ICA (Institute for Contemporary Art), London (UK); L'Iselp, Brussels (BE); Fluent, Santander (ES); Greylight Projects, Brussels (BE); La Conciergerie, La Motte - Servolex (FR); La Loge, Brussels (BE); Art Brussels (BE); Galeri NON, Istanbul (TR); Lehnbachhaus, Munich, (DE).

 

Uncertainty Scenarios was a collective experimental research project that explored the ways people throughout history have tried to speculate, predict and anticipate the future and different attitudes that go along with this. The project created a common ground for a group of artists that all shared interest in the concerns of the project and aimed to establish a context for an ongoing conversation. Together we reflected on possible consequences of current global socio-political or ecological issues and questioned our position as artists towards these. Uncertainty Scenarios tried to become an artistic tool to grasp the ‘futurity’ that is already, and increasingly, a part of our present.

Collectively we researched for instance notions of speculation, methodologies used to predict the future, strategic thinking and scenario planning, risk and crisis management, divination and spiritual forecasts, Big Data, artificial intelligence or science fiction. How do these phenomena affect our thinking, behaviour and acting? What operations are we dealing with when we speak about speculation? How have technologies, like for instance computer modelling and calculating, affected our thinking about the future?

From 2015 - 2022, 'Uncertainty Scenarios' has developed a format for the development of the project in the form of sessions. The 'Uncertainty Scenarios - Sessions' were gatherings for often one or more days, to collectively explore a specific focus within the project. Besides contributions of the participants of the project, other specialists were invited to contribute. Sessions could involve different forms like presentations, artist talks, performances, exhibitions of work, film screenings, etc. Some of the sessions were public and open for all and some involved only a specific group of participants.

We often engaged in dialogue with other organisations and institutions to support and publicly present Uncertainty Scenarios, these collaborations ranged from hosting presentations of work, artists talks or support for the production of specific parts of the project.