Airbound - Collective Materials

From molecules to the atmosphere: the global climate crisis and therefore the possible futures of our coexistence will be decided by the air. We are “airbound” - connected to the air. But how do we develop a new sense of what is to come? And what will connect us in the future?

The exhibition shows climate fictions and speculative everyday scenarios - developed in an open process by people from society, science and design. Through speculative installations, “Airbound” creates space to negotiate urgent geopolitical issues: The contested knowledge of the climate, the destructive use of resources and the associated ecological and social injustices are up for debate. Air becomes a critical issue here - as a collective, active and intelligent material.

This is where scenarios take shape, which were jointly formulated in a series of speculative workshops in spring 2023. The project offers exchange at eye level and connects research and the public, individuals and the many, breath and atmosphere.

The exhibited works problematize the technical promises of geoengineering and coexistence under the pressure of ever-increasing emissions. They present creative, research-based approaches to air as a social medium and, not least, the intimate processes of breathing. What is in the air when critical climatic tipping points are passed? What local approaches and other technologies offer hope? What new (breathing) practices and routines are we developing as individuals and collectives?

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the State of Berlin as part of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State Governments.