ROBERTINA ŠEBJANIČ
CO_SONIC 1884 KM²
CO_SONIC 1884 KM²
SOUNDWALK | 16 MINUTES
FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY
OPEN ALL TIME | BRING YOUR HEADPHONES
The heart of work Co_Sonic 1884 km² was shaped through research carried out in 2021/22 Among its deepest sources of inspiration - its point of return - was Rakov Škocjan and the River Rak, a place that resonated profoundly with me. It is a true pleasure to bring the piece back here, in the form of a sound walk, returning it to the medium where it first found its voice. Heartfelt thanks to Sašo and Urša for making this moment possible. Robertina
Co_Sonic 1884 km² is a audio/visual-poetic reflection and an AI-powered soundscape that tells the story of (co)existence between river environments and their inhabitants. Throughout history, the Ljubljanica river has wormed its way below and above the surface. Unaware that they are the same river, people gave different names to each of the above-ground parts of the river. Co_Sonic 1884 km² shows the river’s body through the prism of its integral whole. The work is a document of the current times in which rivers are becoming powerless due to human intervention.
Rivers are dynamic, ever-changing bodies of water. These shifts are more perceptible to riverbed-dwelling creatures than to humans. Co_sonic 1884 km² by Robertina Šebjanič explores the river from an animal’s perspective, moving beyond an anthropocentric view. It highlights the “seven names of Ljubljanica,” a river that disappears underground in the karst landscape, re-emerging as distinct water bodies yet forming a single entity.
This holistic perception of the Ljubljanica basin—its upper karst reaches, river, and intermittent lakes—is shaped by water as both a flowing liquid and a biotope for species like huchen, trout, and olms. While olms typically remain underground, floods sometimes carry them to the surface, underscoring the interconnectedness of aquatic life.
Using sound and imagery, the project reveals the coexistence of life above and below water, drawing attention to human impacts—riverbed regulation, navigation, biodiversity shifts, and resource exploitation. Co_sonic 1884 km² captures a moment when rivers worldwide are losing vitality. It delves into deep time, fostering empathy for more-than-human life and urging a shift in our relationship with ecosystems for a sustainable future.
It invites us to attune our senses and embrace ways of cultivating empathy for the 'more-than-human,' forging bonds with ecosystems for a time when our generations will long be gone.
Co_Sonic 1884 km² is a audio/visual-poetic reflection and an AI-powered soundscape that tells the story of (co)existence between river environments and their inhabitants. Throughout history, the Ljubljanica river has wormed its way below and above the surface. Unaware that they are the same river, people gave different names to each of the above-ground parts of the river. Co_Sonic 1884 km² shows the river’s body through the prism of its integral whole. The work is a document of the current times in which rivers are becoming powerless due to human intervention.
This holistic perception of the Ljubljanica basin—its upper karst reaches, river, and intermittent lakes—is shaped by water as both a flowing liquid and a biotope for species like huchen, trout, and olms. While olms typically remain underground, floods sometimes carry them to the surface, underscoring the interconnectedness of aquatic life.
Using sound and imagery, the project reveals the coexistence of life above and below water, drawing attention to human impacts—riverbed regulation, navigation, biodiversity shifts, and resource exploitation. Co_sonic 1884 km² captures a moment when rivers worldwide are losing vitality. It delves into deep time, fostering empathy for more-than-human life and urging a shift in our relationship with ecosystems for a sustainable future.
It invites us to attune our senses and embrace ways of cultivating empathy for the 'more-than-human,' forging bonds with ecosystems for a time when our generations will long be gone.
Robertina Šebjanič, https://robertina.net/ is an artist whose work explores the biological, geo-political and cultural realities of aquatic environments and the impact of humanity on other organisms. Her projects call for the development of empathetic strategies aimed at recognising other more-than-human entities. In her analysis of the Anthropocene and its theoretical framework, the artist uses the term “aquatocene” to refer to the human impact on aquatic environments.
She was awarded at Prix Ars Electronica,S+T+ARTS Prize, Falling Walls, Re: humanism a.o. She had lectures and artist talks at events/venues (selection): Ocean Space TBA21 & TARA foundation (Venice), Stanford University (Palo Alto), UCLA- Art Sci Center (Los Angeles), UNAM (Mexico City), a.o.
She has exhibited/performed at solo and group exhibitions as well as in galleries and at festivals: Ars Electronica (Linz), Tribeca Immersive (New York), Kosmica festival - Laboratorio Arte Alameda (Mexico City), Matadero (Madrid), La Gaîté Lyrique (Paris), Art Laboratory Berlin, ZKM (Karlsruhe), Cukrarna Gallery (Ljubljana), MONOM (Berline), KIKK (Namur) Sea Art Festival (Busan), Watermans Arts Centre (London), Akbank Sanat (istanbul), Villa Arson ( Nice), Eastern Bloc (Montreal), MSU – Museum of Contemporary Art (Zagreb), MSUB – The Museum of Contemporary Art (Belgrade), +MSUM Museum of Contemporary Art (Ljubljana) a.o.Artist (concept, sound/photo/video editing, execution): Robertina Šebjanič,
Photo and video recording on the field: Robertina Šebjanič and Miha Godec,
A.I. programming of audio: Moisés Horta Valenzuela - Voice: Polona Torkar, Zagi Zornada,
Mastering: Mauricio Valdes
Comision: Cukrarna Gallery 2021 / 2022 (Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana),
Co-production: Sektor Institute, Aquatocene Studio,
Special thanks: to 1884 km2 of river basin and the rivers, streams and lake:
Trbuhovica, Obrh, Stržen, Cerkniško jezero, Rak, Pivka, Unica, Ljubljanica…
Photo and video recording on the field: Robertina Šebjanič and Miha Godec,
A.I. programming of audio: Moisés Horta Valenzuela - Voice: Polona Torkar, Zagi Zornada,
Mastering: Mauricio Valdes
Comision: Cukrarna Gallery 2021 / 2022 (Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana),
Co-production: Sektor Institute, Aquatocene Studio,
Special thanks: to 1884 km2 of river basin and the rivers, streams and lake:
Trbuhovica, Obrh, Stržen, Cerkniško jezero, Rak, Pivka, Unica, Ljubljanica…