Baltan Laboratories

Kastanjelaan, 500, Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, 5616LZ, NL

Baltan Laboratories is a cultural indisciplinary lab based in Eindhoven. It was founded in 2008 to revive the creative, collaborative and exploratory spirit of the Philips Natlab (physics laboratory) in Eindhoven, by a group of local artists who missed a place for that type of exploration and experiment in the arts. Since its foundation, Baltan has been working as a lab for experimentation at the intersection of art, science, design and technology. In our early years, art, technology and media art were central. From our experience in a technology and media-oriented discussion and critique in art and design, we have over the years focused on societal challenges and how art and design can play a (positive) role in these.

Our society’s so-called wicked problems are networked and span across disciplines. They can no longer be divided into bite-sized parts, nor can we develop solutions for problems separately. Designers, artists, musicians, architects – people in the creative professions – are well positioned to work multi-sectorally and on projects that do not have a clear endpoint or solution. At Baltan, we would like to push even further and create a space where people from all kinds of social, ethnic, discipline, and cultural backgrounds can work with each other on an equal, unbound level – we call this indisciplinarity. As such, we strive to include diverse knowledges (beyond a solely Western perspective) and value systems in Baltan’s projects and collaborations: Baltan strives to be radically inclusive, not only among humans but also among non-humans and the living planet. It seeks to approach uncertainties with radical hope, through which instability is seen as a possibility to re-imagine the systems we are part of and rehearse change.

In an uncertain, complex and ambiguous world, the interaction between all living beings is important. The role of technology in shaping these interactions is increasing rapidly. The lab investigates human/non-human and human/technology relationships in the context of our current
societal challenges. And we do this in a lab setting and attitude. We believe in the metaphor of the lab as a space for experiments, tests and failures. A playground where uncertainties are welcome, in which curiosity is nurtured and where experimentation is liberated from pre-defined outcomes or disciplinary concerns.

For its programme for the upcoming years, Baltan will give centre stage to rehearsing alternative roles for technology in society. We do this by designing learning paths, projects, and collaborations that bridge different knowledge systems through creative strategies beyond a purely
rational approach, including bodily, sensory, intuitive, and performative techniques. We want to involve feeling and intuition as ways of grasping complexity.

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www.baltanlaboratories.org

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Mission

Baltan fulfils its social role as a cultural institution by being a place where there is space to debate, learn and organise given the challenges we have to relate to. In our vision, culture should be one of the prominent forces of change, as we believe that change is primarily cultural and
behavioural, rather than political, infrastructural and solution-driven. The cultural and behavioural change we seek influences how we engage our audiences and participants, favouring long-term relationships that can evolve from participation to becoming active in our programme.

Eindhoven is an exciting place for a lab like Baltan. It is a provincial city full of industrial heritage, which has only been around for about 100 years. The highly skilled and developed academy, university and industries that are locally based in the city attract new groups of residents. This makes the city a melting pot of cultures and types of workers.

Vision

We are witnessing geopolitical conflicts that are rooted in a colonial and profit-driven way of dealing with the planet and its inhabitants. Our economic, social, political and technological systems are simultaneously faltering. Rapid technological progress, in combination with the systemic crises mentioned above, can become very daunting for people, making them feel as if they have no control or agency over what is happening. Baltan aims to make technology tangible through its programs by unravelling complex systems and making them discussable. In our projects, we offer tools, strategies and attitudes to navigate this complex landscape, enabling us to take a stand and reclaim our voice in systems from which we have been excluded. By dealing with these topics in workshops, in longer learning trajectories with a group of peers, or simply by reading a book or attending a lecture together, our audiences gain confidence again. Big societal challenges need a more long-term, in-depth investigation with a dedicated group of people. It is about rehearsing and training different ways of being that cannot be practised and embodied in a two-day festival or an exhibition. They need time and repetition. These considerations influence how we engage our audiences and participants: we are more often engaged in long-term trajectories than event-based presentations. This has led us to work with smaller groups of people, to make these reflections present in their daily routines. We see the impact of our work in creating long-term relationships with our participants that can evolve from participation to an active part of our programme, for example, by creating artworks, projects and interventions that emerge from the learning and discussions we had together. This way of working also implies a different approach to curating: harvesting and supporting the projects born from these relationships before selecting others from the outside world. Indisciplinarity In order to tackle questions that are multi-faceted, Baltan proposes that learning should not be hierarchical but rather a safe place for experimentation and exploring new territories. Moreover, disciplinary work often leads to a distinction between those who are considered qualified to contribute and those who are not. Baltan Laboratories has developed a working methodology called indisciplinarity: an approach that transcends disciplinary boundaries to achieve intellectual emancipation, bypassing specialisations and hierarchies of knowledge. Indisciplinarity does not mean undisciplined, it opposes what within disciplines limits the process of discovery and hinders the free flow of serendipity. This does not mean that we should get rid of disciplines, but rather that we should design ways to make their boundaries permeable to allow collaboration to emerge. To give a practical example of how we apply indisciplinarity in our activities, participants are invited/join with their whole selves and not just with their professional credentials. CVs and backgrounds are not shared in our learning trajectories, and participants are not labelled. Thanks to this straightforward strategy, participants are not bound by their careers (or lack thereof) or by those of their fellow learners. They can go beyond the stereotypes around their professional background and the performance of expertise and ego, which usually gets in the middle of a fruitful collaboration.

This nonprofit is also supported in these funds

DES.ENG.AGE. presents Silicon Souls during the Dutch Design Week at NulZes Fund

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DES.ENG.AGE. presents Silicon Souls during the Dutch Design Week at NulZes Fund

DES.ENG.AGE. presents Silicon Souls during the Dutch Design Week at NulZes. A Platform for Creative Technical Collaboration, and techno-conscious discussion What is DES.ENG.AGE.? It is a project that brings ASML engineers together with creative minds from Eindhoven. The goal is to connect the worlds of technology and design, helping to build a stronger creative culture around ASML and in the local area. It also gives ASML employees a chance to take part in hands-on creative projects, learn new skills, both technical and creative to work on projects from start to finish. Most importantly, we aim to support a society where technology is developed with thought and care, shaped by both engineers and artists who consider its impact on people and the planet. What’s the Story Behind “Silicon Souls”? In the past, alchemists dreamed of turning lead into gold. Even Isaac Newton spent years exploring this idea. In recent times, scientists at the Large Hadron Collider managed to do it. However, we believe the real magic is in semiconductors. We take sand and turn it into silicon chips that store information, ideas, and money on them. These chips power everything around us. It’s not just turning matter into something valuable; it’s creating the foundations for whole digital worlds. Since Eindhoven is often called “Europe’s Silicon Valley,” we believe we should lead not only in tech, but also in responsibility. At DES.ENG.AGE. we think that “those who create are responsible.” That’s why Silicon Souls, our contribution to Dutch Design Week, is meant to highlight the deep connection between innovation and ethics where technologists think about their impact, and citizens are part of shaping the digital world. What will “Silicon Souls” look like? We want to show the hidden complexity of the microchip industry in the form of a beautiful and meaningful piece of art, and abstract installation. This project will be built together by ASML engineers and local designers. The artwork will look like a large chandelier, shaped like a cone, hanging from the ceiling. It will be able to move in the x and y directions (and possibly z). It will contain fine sand, which will trickle onto a silicon wafer. As the chandelier moves, it will "expose" patterns of the sand metaphorically tracing the steps of chip fabrication. The polished surface of the cone will reflect a structure of pillars and connections an architecture that could be buildings or the layered structure of a microprocessor. Each layer will represent a story or idea sparking conversation with visitors. We also intend to pay homage to the employees of the industry by incorporating 3D figurines of people who contributed to the project. How Can You Help? We’re looking for engineers who want to volunteer their time and skills. Here are some areas where we need help: o 3d scanning o 3d printing with resin or ceramic slurry o Calculating load bearing capacity of NulZes ceiling and beams o Designing x-y stage that moves a “chandelier” that drips sand o Designing nozzle system for sand o "Wafer stage" design on the ground o Helping Luuk van den Broek (our resident designer) with the cone that that is to be the main structure for the “chandelier” o Help with the woodwork o Connect the piece to the ceiling [TIG welding] o Arrange area for seating o Design and write on the walls o Audio system for explaining the piece (is it a looped speaker or headphones, can it be rented or from ASML borrow) o Record sounds o Build up and install (scenography) from readymade objects o Code movement and experience o Create DUV etched silicon with disengage manifesto message that can be viewed under the microscope o Work as mechanical engineer for integration. o Electronics o Coding o Lighting design [illumination from the inside of the chandelier to project message] o Safety expert o Volunteer to stay at the DDW (Performance to offload sand from printed wafer) We’re also looking for donations to help cover the costs of creating and displaying the artwork.

Created by Employee Giving