Datscha Radio Logo

Just finished: the new jingle for “Unearthing the Archive”. Listen here:

 

      1. Unearthing jingle - GS/KD

Besides, we refurbished the site a bit:

  • In the audio archive you will find the jingles from DR 12 to DR 18 and of course the link to Mixcloud, where most (but not all) of our programs are archived.
  • In the sidebar on the right you will find (almost) all postings written about Datscha Radio’s various materialisations.
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Is it transmitting? Kate Donovan between tech and lights

Almost done: Datscha Radios preparations for our exhibition at c/o Kunstpunkt ran smoothly, not least thanks to the support of the ingenious curatorial team. We do not want to reveal everything beforehand: the opening is on Saturday, July 28, at 19 o’clock.
Stinging nettles and thistles are part of the game …

Urtica dioica

 

Erdnähe.

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From July, 29th in Berlin: Datscha Radio – Unearthing the Archive
Installation/Exhibition

Neighbourhoods, networks and radio – the thing that they all have in common is that the fine threads of their connections are only visible as temporary events: in celebrations and festivals, in exchange and support. They are organic by nature; they can expand, contract, divide, they need care and pathways… similar to a garden, whose inhabitants make contact above, as well as underneath, the ground.

Datscha Radio’s installation “Unearthing the Archive” traces what’s below the surface, and the communality of these networks. For the exhibition at Kunstpunkt, Datscha Radio is earthing and reassembling its archive, and allowing it to resonate.

“Unearthing the Archive” transmits performative pearls, linguistic matter, and music from the micro/macro cosmos of human as well as vegetal neighbours. Between molehills and mobile radios, deck chairs offer visitors the opportunity to make themselves comfortable and listen in to selected shows transmitted from the archive.

The group exhibition RAUMOHNERAUM #3: In the Neighbourhood at c/o Kunstpunkt Berlin is part of an exhibition series organised by the Netzwerk Freier Berliner Projekträume und -initiativen e. V..

Datscha Radio’s Unearthing the Archive” is created by and with Berlin radiomakers Gabi Schaffner, Kate Donovan, Niki Matita and Helen Thein.

Further artists/artist groups are:

  • NomadicArt
  • Camping Academy
  • Ira Hadzic & Kevin Ryan
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Datscha Radio just has been nominated for the Berlin European Award “Blauer Bär”! We are pleased and look forward to the event!

The date of the prize giving ceremony is Wednesday, 9th of May.

Mit dem Europapreis Blauer Bär ehrt die Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa gemeinsam mit der Vertretung der Europäischen Kommission in Deutschland Berlinerinnen und Berliner, die sich in Freiwilligenarbeit und unentgeltlich für die europäische Idee und die Stärkung der europäischen Werte engagieren. Die Preisverleihung 2018 findet am Mittwoch, dem 9. Mai, im Berliner Rathaus statt. Alle Nominierten sind mit Freunden und Familie eingeladen.

Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa
Brunnenstraße 188-190
10119 Berlin

If you want to join us, give a shout.

 

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11. März 2018. I meet Daniel Sigler at the Casa Encendida where he reads silently the El Pais while I discuss the (then) future Datscha Radio with the Radio Hortelana ladies Elena and Carolina. It is the day of the agricultural market in the Retiro Park, so after a quick side trip to Esta es Una Plaza, Daniel and I walk up to the park. He carries a huge umbrella that provides also a bit of shelter for the microphone that I had to switch on as we „talk garden“ for most part of our conversation already. Daniel is one of the foundesr of „La Cabaña del Retiro“, a „garden in the garden“, a place for horticultural education, self empowerment, and spiritual well-being. He is also a teacher of Shia-tsu, and his views on the corporeal and spiritual elements in gardening are well-grounded and for a great part based on Eastern philosophy and medicinal knowledge.

Daniel Sigler

The Cabaña was started about 14 years ago with a handful of volunteers from the surrounding neighborhood. From 60 m2 it was continually extended over the years and spans now more than 145 m2 situated on the eastern flank of the park. Currently there are up to 20-30 people regularly tending the garden and/or taking part in the multitude of activities offered within the frame of the Cabaña’s educational programs. Daniel teaches the art of holistic gardening, with a strong focus of inclusion, ecological education and self empowerment. All materials come from recycling and/or left-overs from other building activities in the Retiro: Boards, stones, sand and soil. The garden paths between the plots are wide enough to be accessible for people in wheelchairs, there are spaces for communication (“The lover’s meeting point”), meditation (a geodetic dome) and teaching (inside the actual house). A path leads up the terraces to a scenic lookout over the garden grounds.

The Cabaña belongs, like all other gardens I have been to, to the Red de los Huertos Communitarios, the Madrid network of urban gardens. The „Aula Ambiental“, the place’s „ecological classroom“ forms the offers courses and workshops on plant care and environmental awareness for children and adults alike. In addition, there are periodical invitations to conferences and excursions to natural spaces and environmental facilities.

Entrance of Cabaña

Still life in Cabaña

Still life in Cabaña (educational)

Still life in Cabaña (educational)

Where you can learn

While we walk on the paths I notice that there are more „ornamental flowers“ present than formerly encountered in other urban gardens. „No, we don’t ban flowers from our garden“, says Daniel. The practical and the beautiful both serve the environment, be it animals or humans.“ While he picks some salad for the market I take my documentary pics. It is almost 3 in the afternoon on our arrival at the market of the „El Huerto del Retiro“, a more „classical“ urban garden by way of its organization and horticultural lay-out (plus the biggest insect hotel i have ever seen). Alas, the market stalls are almost deserted by now (Spanish people don’t like the rain)! There is craft beer, organic cheese and honey. There is or was still more, yet i admit, I was very hungry by that time and needed a meal more than anything else…

View from enjoying a craft beer

XXXL Insect hotel

On our way to this huerto we passed some bellis growing next to some daisies in the grass. Those seeds got carried over the fence from the community garden, says Daniel. Later I look at the Madrid map of urban gardens: Somehow, I find, there is a resemblance…

Daisies and bellis

Map urban gardens Madrid

 

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Preparations

22. March 2018
Very well… we started to prepare the „domo“ around 6 the evening before. The place was swarming with young parents and their toddlers, some gardeners, idle youngsters… Eva brings a big green box that contains her herbarium. We swept the gravel off the floor, wiped the table, found some chairs (one in the trash close to the entrance) and stuck a handful of remaining posters to the walls of the neighborhood. We passed a blue-eyed dog in a duffle coat (Madrid dogs often wear coats as long as the temperatures are still below 15 degrees:) and went for a beer.

 

 

Radio Gardening in Madrid

23. March 2018. Meeting at 9:15 at the entrance of Esta es Una Plaza; Caroline of Radio Hortelana had already opened the gate. Setting-up: All went well – thanks to ingenious Jesús of Medialab who had already made some tests the day before. Just like with Datscha Radio 17, we use the „Butt“-app for streaming and transmit via Udo Noll’s aporee streaming server.
The Plaza’s cat makes its appearance.
10:20 Eva, Kata and Joaquín arrive. Plants, sensors and watering cans are arranged next to the high bed of homeless cacti.
Maite takes pictures for the In-Sonora docu. Carolina has brought coffee, her Kalimba and a guitar.
11:50 Alberto of Esta es Una Plaza turns up. We are all happy and exited.

1st – 3rd hour

12:00 Here we go! Hola! Datscha Radio a tope!
After the introductions Carolina plays her kalimba to the sounds of gushing rain: An anti-rain spell that we hope will protect us from worse. Because rain for Madrid people is the most welcome excuse to stay at home! Apart from that, our electricity is provided from a solar battery – we are indeed a very ecological radio station!

13:00 Our program flows smoothly! A roughly by the hour organized schedule serves for orientation, all artists are bilingual, so we manage quite well with the translations.

Below you’ll find (later!!!!) an updated version of the program plan – the audio files will be shared on mix cloud asap (but not before 3rd of April). For now, let us look at some of the radio events of the day. Have fun!

14:15 Rain has finally come. Kata and Joaquín perform an astonishing set with plant radio music, sensors transforming the moisture levels of different plant pots and the green’s voltage into a soundscape with harmonica. The cat loves it so much, it goes to sit on the roof just above our heads. A talk about listening and the rain. Unfortunately the solar energy runs out…

 

Power cut!

For some minutes we still broadcast on batteries but then we decide to interrupt our program.

14:45 Datscha Radio is back again on the air waves! One of the gardeners provided a connection from his neighboring house to the studio! The rain has stopped, the cat gets back in.

4rd – 6th hour…

We continue with the theme of plant talks: Eva Kurly presents her herbarium and introduced the African all-edible Moringa tree. Carolina plays and sings a poem from Argentinia. Santiago, who was working outside comes in an explains what they are presently building. Alberto has prepared two interviews about plant names and balcony plants with his parents. A delightful conversation, each one made over the telephone, the crackling interference in their voices making us forget the digital age.

17:00 A storm of theatre people blows into our tent: They are scheduled for a show in a venue nearby but somehow found this garden. Despite being in a hurry they improvise a vocal piece for us:) Listening to an interview from India about the Botanic Sanctuary in Gurukula and the preservation of vegetal microclimates. Appearance of Rafa from the artist organization The Hug. He brings music of Lau Mau, a Finnish singer whose work is closely connected to nature themes.

17:50 We still have unplayed recordings, yet it’s time for a resume of the broadcast material. Maite comes back and reintroduces the work of In-Sonora and talks about the festival planned for the next day.
18:00 The official end is postponed by half an hour because of the program interruption. We listen to Miyuki Jokiranta’s vocal encounters with her houseplants and finally to two excerpts of the „Atomic Garden“ by Alberto.
18:30 A gathering around the microphones, Thank you, dear listeners! Datscha Radio a tope!!!

 

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Almost all of us: Carolina, Eva, Kata, Jesús, Joaquin and Alberto

Dear all and all listeners,

I am still surprised and very happy: Datscha Radio happend in Madrid, in a garden, in a tent, with sunshine, rain, a fabulous cat, with gardeners, musicians, surprise guests and even a power cut in electricity!

None of this would have been possible without the support and activities of

Alberto Garcia, Anna Katarina Martin, Carolina Carrubba, Elena Arroyo, Eva Pilartes, Jesús Jara, Joaquin Diaz, Maite Camacho…

… and the community of Esta Es Una Plaza: Alberto, Santiago, Luis, Tommi and all the gardeners.

Many thanks also to Udo Noll/aporee.org for providing the stream!

Tomorrow: Presentation of the work (as well as the work of some other artists residing here at Medialab at 6pm!

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Eva Kurly brought seeds of the Moringa tree

Yes, we are broadcasting: Plant radio, medicinal plants and are now listening to a concert for bees by Eva Kurly. The happiest of all: Alberto and the cat!

Alberto Garcia and the Plaza’s Cat

Plants make radio
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