OPEN CALL: CALORIE
Deadline for submission: 5 November, 2024 [IST]
Open Call Results: December, 2024
Venue: Science Gallery Bengaluru, Sanjay Nagar, Bengaluru 560024
Mode: Hybrid
Keywords
Food, Hunger, Grow, Taste, Consume, Nutrition, Gastronomy, Health, Energy, Agriculture, Pleasure, Nourishment.
Science Gallery Bengaluru seeks interactive, participatory, and experimental works for CALORIE, an exhibition-season which explores humanity’s intimate yet fraught relationship with food.
CALORIE
Lick. Chomp. Gulp. Swallow. Burp. The desire to eat and satiate hunger drives us from the moment we are born. Be it an infant latching onto its mother’s breast or maggots devouring a corpse, all living beings feed and are fed upon.
The human body is fueled by food. In the 1860s, experiments [1] revealed that the digestion of food releases energy, which was quantified in calories. The calorie has a complicated history, having evolved from a thermodynamic concept to a standardised measure that controls international policies on agriculture and food production, as well as healthcare and poverty indices across the globe.
Food can be a tool to empower and control as well as to disenfranchise and discriminate. Food deprivation, when forced, is an act of oppression and, when voluntary, a mark of devotion or a tool for rebellion. And today, the calorie reigns supreme in fitness and diet culture.
Malnutrition afflicts India and much of the world, even as food is grown and produced in abundance. Grocery stores overflow with ultra-processed products, while supplementary powders, pills, and potions offer the promise of nourishing our bodies. Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics are now touted as solutions to optimise an individual's diet to their particular genetic profile. However, the relationship between food and health is not merely physical. Eating disorders, ranging from anorexia to binge eating, highlight the mental and emotional complexities of our connection with food.
We stand at the precipice of a divide—between food and hunger, crop and weed, heirloom and GMO, disease and diet, McDonalds and MTR! Are we ready to imagine what a sustainable, equitable, and flavourful food future looks like?
For CALORIE, we are looking to work with individuals or groups—from across career and disciplinary backgrounds—who are critically exploring food and nutrition, cooking and consumption in global food cultures and systems across history. We seek applications that are artistic and scientific inquiries, or both together.
Citations:
[1] Lusk, Graham. The elements of the science of nutrition. WB Saunders Company, 1919.
WHAT MAKES A STRONG OPEN CALL PROPOSAL?
First and foremost, we prioritize works that help our audiences critically explore the processes of producing knowledge relevant to the topic of the current Open Call.
We are looking for both existing and new projects that match Science Gallery’s core aim: to Connect, Participate, and Surprise. Relevance to our core audience of 15-28 year olds is important.
We strongly encourage you to take a moment to explore our archive of previous exhibitions to consider the Science Gallery Bengaluru ethos and the fit to our current open call before committing your valuable time and energy to the application.
WHAT IS A HYBRID EXHIBITION-SEASON?
A hybrid exhibition-season is one which has both an onsite and online component. We invite proposals that may be completely physical, completely digital/online or are physical with a digital or online component.
WHAT TYPES OF PROJECTS ARE ACCEPTED?
We invite proposals for exhibits as well as ideas for public programmes. A clear rationale related to Science Gallery’s aims and those of the CALORIE Season would be expected in the response to the Open Call.
Science Gallery’s approach is trans-disciplinary so we accept projects from highly diverse disciplines that could include art-works, video, performance, poetry, craft, sound, web-based work, socially engaged work, live experimentation, design, sharing of data from social science, medical, or natural science research – essentially we are not format-prescriptive!
Science Gallery Bengaluru is also accepting proposals for public programmes in the lead up to and during the exhibition. This could include a film-festival, city walk, hands-on-workshop, talk series, theatre, dance, puppetry, stand-up/ open-mic/ improv, and a master class.
While our primary focus is on the exhibition space, we are keen on programming beyond the exhibition space and welcome proposals that could be hosted online, outdoors, or in other site-specific locations like lakes, laboratories, parks, or metro stations. We are happy to facilitate permissions where possible, if required. Please get in touch with us if you have specific questions about the exhibition space.
WHAT BUDGET IS AVAILABLE?
Projects supported via the Open Call for the exhibition can typically be funded by Science Gallery Bengaluru up to INR 3,00,000 (including all costs, artist fees, materials, equipment, shipping, travel and taxes). Public programme proposals can typically be funded up to INR 1,00,000.
Please note projects of larger scale could be considered only where additional partners/funding can be secured. We enthusiastically welcome proposals that work to a smaller budget or have a larger budget and are part funded through other means.
WILL THE SEASON INCLUDE NEW OR EXISTING WORK?
Seasons can include new or existing works, and we are happy to receive more than one submission from one person/team: what is critical is the fit for this specific Open Call.
WHEN WILL I GET AN ANSWER?
Science Gallery Bengaluru will notify applicants if their submission has been successful by December 2024. The gallery will be considering submissions during November-December 2024 so if questions about your project are identified we might contact you for clarification during this period.
WHAT IS THE NEXT STAGE?
If we think your work is exciting and relevant, we will start a conversation about your Proposal with a view to establishing feasibility in December 2024.
ABOUT US
Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB) is a not-for-profit public institution for research-based engagement targeted at young adults. We work at the interface between the human, natural and social sciences, engineering and the arts through a Public Lab Complex, ever-changing exhibitions, and mentorship programmes.
SGB is established with the founding support of the Government of Karnataka and three academic partners—Indian Institute of Science, National Centre for Biological Sciences, and Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology. It is a member of the Global Science Gallery Network with sister galleries in Atlanta, Dublin, London, Melbourne and Monterrey.