European Climate Pact Partner ASCA Society

imagination

 

Becoming a European Climate Pact Partner I would be happy that the work of Art serves the purpose to suggest ways we might rediscover this sense of fundamental connectedness.

‘We need to compose processes of interaction which will help reestablish a saner balance of humanity within the biosphere.’ (Dunn 1988: 15-16)

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Play the System Interact with it

Frouke Wiarda has a background as a sound artist and museologist, with a distinctive focus that often extends beyond the traditional museum setting. This unique approach allows her to bridge the gap between art, science, and technology. She seeks to address societal challenges through her art.

Wiarda recently founded the ASCA Society in Belgium, becoming a European Climate Pact Partner. The foundation’s mission is to foster transdisciplinary exchanges and dialogues on contemporary issues, engaging citizens and stakeholders. It seeks to use art as a transformative force for social innovation and to develop culturally significant products with a contemporary focus.

 

 

I am a human, a mama, a lover and an artist. My work is a means of understanding and expressing my emotions and perceptions of the world. The planet I call home is undergoing profound transformations within my lifetime—its biosphere is in decline, and ecosystems are shifting at an unprecedented rate. Humanity bears responsibility for these changes. Since I started with the Project The Turbine Plays I feel an undeniable calling to dedicate my art to raising public awareness of these urgent issues. As part of Earth’s intricate web of life, we must acknowledge our shared responsibility. Every species, from the tiniest microorganism to the largest mammal, exists within this delicate balance. Through my art and collaborations, I seek to honor this interconnectedness, to provoke reflection, and to inspire action—reminding us that every sound, every ripple, and every interaction is part of a greater whole.

The Turbine Plays Kick off web

The Kick-off event of The Turbine Plays at the Energy Barn – Hanze University of Applied Sciences

Sound Artist

As a sound artist, Wiarda’s work involves designing both digital and analog sound processes, creating immersive soundscapes, and using a variety of acoustic and electronic instruments. She blends these elements into performances and visual presentations, often within real-time interactive systems. Currently, she is exploring acoustic ecology and acousmatics, expanding her approach to composing not only musical pieces but also behaviors and interaction modalities. Always in pursuit of innovation, in 2024, she furthered her expertise in electroacoustic music at Musiques & Recherches (BE) under Annette Vande Gorne, while deepening her understanding of acoustics and electroacoustic sound production at Simon Fraser University (CA) with Emeritus Professor Barry Truax. Her work has been featured at events such as the World Ceramic Biennale Korea, Theaterfestival Boulevard, November Music, Gaudeamus Music Festival, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Festival Into the Great Wide Open, and the Stedelijk Museum.

Curator

 

As a transdisciplinary project organizer and curator, Wiarda connects the creative sector with educational institutions, fostering collaboration between artists, scientists, and students. A prime example of this is her initiative, The Turbine Plays, collaborating strongly with Belgium Painter Stephan Balleux and Scientist Judith van der Elst, exploring wind as an artistic medium. Wiarda has been pivotal in multidisciplinary projects, engaging other artists and partners in innovative ways, often merging acoustic and electronic instruments with performances and visuals in real-time interactive systems.

researcher

Wiarda is a part-time guest researcher at the Minerva Art Academy, and developing workshops with van der Elst with national and international institutions, including the Centre of Expertise Energy at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, ESRIG – Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen, Centre for Isotope Research, TU Delft, and Prof. Simon Penny of the University of California. Other collaborations include Kristin Bergaust from Oslo Metropolitan University and projects like Media Art Festival, Gronings Vuur, and Sense of Place, as well as the AEGIS Research Network (AU).