Very Very Far Away VVFA

This is a story of parallels, inhabitation and belonging; a story about a place described through the memories of those who visited it, the nature of the places we directly inhabit, and the ones we fantasise.

A special, bilingual (French/English), episode commissioned by Diaspore for Manifesta 13, the Nomadic European Biennale of art and culture. This edition of the biennale is hosted by the southern French city of Marseille.

To help us in this we were joined by photographer and Marseille native Mona Grid, Former resident of the city, graphic designer Amelie Bonhomme, Artist and soon to be living in Marseille; Marie Jacotey, and frequent visitor in his role as designer in residence at Le Centre International de Recherche sur le Verre et les Arts plastiques (CIRVA) Jonah Takagi.

An audio essay that reflects on our conversations at the 70th International Astronautical Congress in Washington DC. In this episode, Joseph Popper and Sitraka Rakotoniaina explore what diversity can mean at the largest gathering of the space industry.

We speak to artists, designers, engineers and anthropologists who share their experiences of the congress and tell us about their different practices. From the conversations, we learn that outer space exploration demands multicultural and multidisciplinary approaches, in action and in attitude.

Thanks to our interviewees, Tamara Alvarez, Nelly Ben Hayoun, Sands Fish, Barbara Imhof, Prathima Muniyappa, Ufuoma Ovienmhada, Angelo Vermeulen and Chris Welch, for sharing their thoughts with us.

Normal Now, Act 3, As we get accustomed to the new normalities imposed upon us over the last 6 months we examine how we got to this point, and where things could escalate to. The bridges between what is and what might be real / true / fictitious are blurred in this, the final act of VVFA's Normal Now investigation.

Mixed and arranged by Matthew Motte

Andrew and Sitraka are joined by guests Malena Arcucci, Simone Rebaudengo, Nestor Pestana and Hugo Pilate, along with Michael and Chris Lewis to develop the co-enquiry expanding on themes of Automation and changing patterns of work. How are things evolving on our way out of lockdown, and how might we want things to shift once the lockdown is lifted?

Guests Malena Arcucci, Simone Rebaudengo, Nestor Pestana and Hugo Pilate join Andrew and Sitraka along with Michael and Chris Lewis to continue their exploration of a world in lockdown, Part 1 of a co-enquiry examining what could, and what we might like to change in a post covid society.

The first in a triptych of broadcasts exploring the world on lockdown, the implications of social isolation and the possible changes that could result from this strange new normality.

A conversation between Andrew Friend, Sitraka Rakotoniaina, Christopher Lewis and Michael Lewis.