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Francesca Llopis IN RESiDENCE at the School Fort Pius

FIRST THOUGHTS ABOUT ICEBERGS

The project begins with a meditation on icebergs and what they represent for everyone, expressed through writing and drawing. At a second stage, the pupils imagine what there might be inside an iceberg.

FIRST SCIENTIFIC EXPERIENCES

Scientific research into icebergs begins with experiments on the floatability of bodies and Archimedes’ Principle. As these scientific experiments are carried out and conclusions are reached, a video recording is also made to show these poetically.

VISIT TO THE MUSEUM OF WATER AND A LECTURE BY RAFEL SIMÓ

To enrich the research into icebergs, a lecture is organised by Rafel Simó, oceanologist at the Institute of Sea Marine Science, who has taken part in several expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic, on the theme of the memory of ice. Before this, the pupils take part in a workshop on "the memory of water" led by the educational team at the Agbar Museum of Water. The day ends with a visit to the museum.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE ICEBERG BEGINS

By freezing small masses of water, we begin the process of constructing the iceberg that will provide the main theme for the video work.

ICE

EXPERIMENTING WITH DYES

Francesca Llopis and the pupils experiment by submerging or throwing into water dyes of different colours and thicknesses. All the experiments are filmed on video.

DYES 1

DYES 2

DYES 3

EXPERIMENTING WITH ASH

Inspired by Rafel Simó’s lecture, we explore the aesthetic relation between ash and the ice of the iceberg we are constructing.

THE MEMORY OF THE ICEBERG

Francesca Llopis asks the pupils to each bring a personal object that they would like to conserve in time. The objects chosen by the pupils are frozen inside the iceberg, becoming both their own memory and the group’s collective memory.

POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP ON THE THEME OF ICEBERGS

Taking their inspiration from a workshop led by Pep Garrido (writer), Francesca Llopis and the pupils create poetic phrases and images on the theme of icebergs and memory. Blog of Francesca Llopis’ residence at Institut Fort Pius

TESTS TO THAW THE ICEBERG

To prepare the final filming, thawing tests are carried out on the roof of the school, leaving the iceberg in the sun, throwing water over it, etc.

FILMING IN THE MAZE AT HORTA

Francesca Llopis and the pupils film the explosive emergence of the iceberg from the water at two sites selected at the Parc del Laberint (“Maze Park”) in Horta.

FILMING AND FREEING THE ICEBERG ON THE BEACH

The iceberg created over the course of all these months of the residence is released into the sea. Filming begins at about 6.30 pm and ends at nightfall. Gradually, bathed by the waves, the iceberg melts, leaving its memory in the sea.

FINAL EDIT OF THE FILM APUNTS PER A UN ICEBERG [NOTES FOR AN ICEBERG]

From the final film footing made at the Maze in Horta and on the beach, and all the videos made during the process of constructing the iceberg, the subsequent experiments and the recorded texts, Francesca Llopis edits the final work. The pupils following the editing process in two sessions to discuss the work-in-progress.

PRESENTATION OF APUNTS PER A UN ICEBERG [NOTES FOR AN ICEBERG]

On Wednesday, 15 June 2011, the film Apunts per a un iceberg and a making-of illustrating the process of creating the work, are shown. The pupils and Francesca Llopis present the work and the creative process. The piece and the making-of are available in the Obra (“Work”) section.
33 Apunts per a un iceberg [33 Notes for an iceberg] 2011