Andromeda/The Recalibration Room

After passing a three phase selection process, I was delighted to be selected as a crew member on an XXpedition research project. These ongoing projects see a wide range of researchers, scientists, product developers and artists join various ocean passages, all aiming to tackle the ocean’s overwhelming plastic problem. Various projects deal with, research surrounding micro-plastics and its impact on both the fishing industries and ecological health. These projects also look at product development with regard to the search for alternative materials as well as exploring new ideas in pushing the boundaries of merely raising awareness to triggering, leaps into action.

Unfortunately, as a South African passport-holder living in a country (Taiwan) which is slowly falling victim to playground politics, I was unable to obtain a Portuguese Schengen visa. Swiftly altering arrangements, I transferred my research project to an alternative expedition charter, which was conveniently planning a passage through the North Pacific Gyre. The Canadian embassy’s AI approval procedure disappointed me twice with rejection. The only option left was to cross the Pacific halfway from Mexico to Hawaii. With all arrangements in place, I headed to Taoyuan International Airport, only to find the entire complex draped in plastic sheeting with sparsely scattered personnel in surgical attire. The #stayhome movement was about to explode with the onset of the Covid19 outbreak.

In short, the voyage documentation which was intended to incubate a new body of work had to be postponed until more viable long distance travel became possible.

With border lockdowns in place all Taiwanese residents spent the most part of 2020 up until recently, locally bound. The Taiwanese government’s swift response to the outbreak prevented a surge in local cases and life continued pretty much as normal, with regard to work-home life, this, with the exception to holidaying abroad.

Not being able to join the expedition and/or any other forms of travel, my partner and I decided that this was finally our chance to expand on long-overdue-creative-ideas that was just about to be left forgotten on a stagnant, middle-aged peasant’s bucket-list. We decided to set up a working artist studio, kitted out to the T, offering a co-working space as well as facilitating a variety of classes to different skill- and age levels. Some of these classes include comprehensive drawing techniques and refining skills, pinhole photography and darkroom practices, printmaking as well as understanding the workings behind Arduino project building and programming. In addition to the artist/creative space we added a coffee roastery, specializing in single-origin, hand-drip brew complimented by handmade baked goods and other experimental beverages.

All the manual labour of the rented site, which included the electrical work, plumbing, general maintenance, interior, furniture and fixture alterations and restoration, with the exception to some of the interior painting have been done and completed by myself, over the course of a summer holiday, give or take a couple of weeks. The aim behind this passion project was to see if it would be possible for a fun space such as this to be sustainable and self-sufficient over a period of at least two years.

At this point in time, some of the challenges include, setting aside enough time, outside of our day-jobs to focus on advertising as well as creating awareness and hype surrounding the services and products we offer. This is by no means an original idea, but the excitement of combining all of ones interests into a new venture may well be worth the effort. Here is to creating profitable, longterm passion projects which will leave you broke and exhausted with the promise of fulfillment.