Critical Landscapes – Series One is a short film that examines the role of critical minerals in modern technologies and the accelerated extraction required to sustain them. Using a combination of cinematic techniques, motion imagery, and digital media, the project documents UK landscapes rich in these essential resources, layering real-world footage with augmented audiovisual data to explore the impact of mining and material use.
During the exploration of Critical Minerals, the studio also engages with synthetic materials generated through models such as the DeepMind GNoME model, reflecting on emerging technologies and new approaches to material design. By merging geological research with digital art, Critical Landscapes highlights the shifting relationship between natural resources and technological development, revealing both the opportunities and complexities of material extraction in the digital age.
STUDIO ABOVE&BELOW IS A LONDON- BASED ART AND TECHNOLOGY PRACTICE FOUNDED IN 2018 BY DARIA JELONEK (GER) AND PERRY-JAMES SUGDEN (UK) AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART. SPECIALISING IN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES AND LIVING ARTWORKS, THE DUO MERGES DIGITAL ART, LIVE DATA, AND MIXED REALITIES TO EXPLORE THE EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS, MACHINES, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THEIR WORK OFTEN TRANSFORMS REAL-TIME DATA INTO DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE INSTALLATIONS, GIVING A VOICE TO THE INVISIBLE FORCES THAT SHAPE OUR SURROUNDINGS. WHILE THEY ENGAGE WITH EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, THEIR FOCUS LIES NOT JUST ON INNOVATION BUT ON CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.
AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY, STUDIO ABOVE&BELOW COLLABORATES WITH EUROPEAN COMMISSIONED PROJECTS, LEADING SCIENTISTS, POLICYMAKERS, AND ACADEMICS TO CREATE IMPACTFUL WORKS THAT ADDRESS PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL CHALLENGES. THEIR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED INTERNATIONALLY AT INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS TATE MODERN, V&A LONDON, HEK BASEL, AND TRANSMEDIALE STUDIO BERLIN.
THEIR WORK HAS RECEIVED RECOGNITION FROM THE S+T+ARTS FUTURE OF THE CITY PRIZE, A LUMEN PRIZE SHORTLIST, AND A BLOOMBERG BURSARY. THROUGH THEIR INNOVATIVE APPROACH, THEY ENVISION AND CREATE RESPONSIVE ENVIRONMENTS THAT REDEFINE THE FUTURE OF HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL COEXISTENCE.