| 36.5 / BODO INLET: KWALE, KENYA
NOVEMBER 8, 2019: 8:10AM – 8:16PM / 12 HOURS, 6 MINUTES Sunde chose the Kwale Region along the Pangani Coast in Kenya as the African location for the series because the area is known for its historic landmarks, a melting pot of vibrant cultures, and a point of entry into Africa for the rest of the world. Coastal areas will face extreme flooding, and excess salt in the soil are predicted to make water impotable and agriculture extremely challenging. At the same time, Kenya is working to develop a sustainable economy, and there is hope for adaptation and mitigation. 36.5 aims to connect the Kenyan people to these issues, while raising global awareness about Kenya’s climate change challenge. |
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36.5 / NORTH SEA: KATWIJK AAN ZEE, THE NETHERLANDS AUGUST 10, 2015: 8:15AM-9:01PM / 12 HOURS, 46 MINUTES The North Sea in the Netherlands was the fourth iteration of the series and where 36.5 found its form as an autonomous video work. The performance was filmed in real time, edited as a video of the same length, and then shown on location within two weeks of the performance. |
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36.5 / BAY OF ALL SAINTS, SALVADOR, BRAZIL APRIL 2, 2019: 8:29AM-8:45PM / 12 HOURS, 16 MINUTES Salvador da Bahía, Brazil was selected as the South American location for the series based on the city’s beautiful waters, rich music scene, diverse population, and commitment to social justice. As the third largest city in Brazil, climate change will bring extreme challenges to Salvador. In addition to sea-level rise, the city will face overpopulation, failing infrastructure, and rain fall-induced landslides. 36.5 aims to connect the citizens of Salvador to these issues, while raising global awareness about Salvador’s climate change issues beyond Brazil. |
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36.5 / BAY OF BENGAL, BANGLADESHJANUARY 5, 2017: 6:30AM-6:51PM 12 HOURS, 21 MINUTES Bangladesh was chosen for the fifth work in the series to contrast with Western-centered ideas of sea-level rise and to introduce a different perspective. A partnership with Britto Arts Trust of Dhaka was developed over 18 months. Sunde and the team from Britto coped with sickness, equipment loss, and other challenges. This reinforced the importance of working with a local cinematographer and film crew. Music was a large part of this performance: mandolin, khama, drums, and the call to prayer. The “Human Clock” movement phrase was adapted into traditional Bengali form. Saint Martin’s Island is two miles from the Bangladesh-Myanmar border so there was a new resonance with the contemporary refugee crisis and seeing water as a means of survival. Local stories were collected as a part of the 36.5 video archive. |
BODO INLET
Sunde chose the Kwale Region along the Pangani Coast in Kenya as the African location for the series because the area is known for its historic landmarks, a melting pot of vibrant cultures, and a point of entry into Africa for the rest of the world. Coastal areas will face extreme flooding, and excess salt in the soil are predicted to make water impotable and agriculture extremely challenging. At the same time, Kenya is working to develop a sustainable economy, and there is hope for adaptation and mitigation. 36.5 aims to connect the Kenyan people to these issues, while raising global awareness about Kenya’s climate change challenge.
Fort Jesus Museum showed a variety of previous 36.5 video works from 1st – 16th November. The new video work , 36.5 / Bodo Inlet, was screened in the Bodo Community and shown as a large-scale outdoor public exhibition on the walls of Fort Jesus in Mombasa on Saturday 16th November 2019. An exhibition screening happened in Nairobi at the Cheche Gallery, Kenya Cultural Center.
The North Sea in the Netherlands was the fourth iteration of the series and where 36.5 found its form as an autonomous video work. The performance was filmed in real time, edited as a video of the same length, and then shown on location within two weeks of the performance.
The artist collaborated on the Costume with Aziz Bekkaoui, a local fashion designer, and Jonas de Witte, a local cinematographer. Eight days after the performance, the video (12 hours, 46 minutes), was exhibited as a two-channel video installation in Amsterdam at four locations, August 19-23, 2015.
The performance had major public participation with 47 people in the water and 55 in the movement phrase. Several hundred people gathered to watch the final moments.
Salvador da Bahía, Brazil was selected as the South American location for the series based on the city’s beautiful waters, rich music scene, diverse population, and commitment to social justice. As the third largest city in Brazil, climate change will bring extreme challenges to Salvador. In addition to sea-level rise, the city will face overpopulation, failing infrastructure, and rain fall-induced landslides. 36.5 aims to connect the citizens of Salvador to these issues, while raising global awareness about Salvador’s climate change issues beyond Brazil.
To make 36.5 / Bay of All Saints happen, the artist partnered with the community of Solar do Unhão, Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM) and Adriana Campelo, Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Salvador / Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities. Collaborators included cinematographer Guilherme Burgos, local anthropologist/artist Clara Domingas, and Pretxs de Rum (Black Poets of the Street) who performed their poetic interventions to mark the passing of the hours.
BAY OF BENGAL
Bangladesh was chosen for the fifth work in the series to contrast with Western-centered ideas of sea-level rise and to introduce a different perspective. A partnership with Britto Arts Trust of Dhaka was developed over 18 months.
Sunde and the team from Britto coped with sickness, equipment loss, and other challenges. This reinforced the importance of working with a local cinematographer and film crew. Music was a large part of this performance: mandolin, khama, drums, and the call to prayer. The “Human Clock” movement phrase was adapted into traditional Bengali form. Saint Martin’s Island is two miles from the Bangladesh-Myanmar border so there was a new resonance with the contemporary refugee crisis and seeing water as a means of survival.
Local stories were collected as a part of the 36.5 video archive.