dynamis – who we are
dynamis is a 'think-do-rethink' tank created by the innogy Foundation for Energy and Society, the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and the 100 percent renewable foundation.
dynamis brings together various players from civil society, enterprises and academia to systematically, comprehensively address an important yet frequently overlooked aspect of the discourse surrounding the transition to renewable energy: the social dimensions involved.
Previously, the discourse on a future energy system was all too often reduced to economic, technical and legal aspects. This meant that key societal risks, opportunities and challenges were not sufficiently explored. How can we achieve fair and equitable participation for all in terms of economic involvement, political participation and realizing opportunities which affect quality of life? Answering this question will shape the energy system of the future and determine the transition's popular support. These factors will prove pivotal along the path towards decentralized energy supply as well as in terms of the societal impacts of digitalizing the energy supply.
Renewable Energy for the benefit of society
We believe transitioning to decentralized renewable energy sources will bring substantial societal benefits. It will pave the way for new forms of social engagement which will give people the opportunity to experience social solidarity in a new way and become more involved in political processes. In sum, this will create chances for society to reap the benefits of technical, economic and social innovations. Our goal is to make the development of a renewable energy system a participatory process in which people from all parts of society can get involved.
Art as a transformer A worldwide movement of climate changemakers has emerged to engage citizens in artistic action because media art in the urban space acts as a space-time compressor. Urgent issues of climate change raise awareness and catalyse common solutions which are embedded in the citizens’ everyday analogue and digital communication practises.
dynamis is aware about the impact and outreach of artistic urban projects and presented the Public Face II (2017) and the Fake Star (2018) to raise awareness for its project Energieavantgarde Anhalt and to communicate with the citizens of Dessau and the region of Bitterfeld-Anhalt in Germany about the urgent issues of the energy transition.
Public Art Lab Berlin was commissioned to curate and produce these urban interventions in collaboration with the artists' collective of Julius von Bismarck,
Benjamin Maus and Richard Wilhelmer: The Fake Star generated its own energy and the Public Face II enabled the visualization of data related to the energy consumption and production of renewable energy sources. Both light installations were temporarily set up in the public space and made use of two different artistic approaches:
Public Face II was presented as an energy barometer for the city of Dessau and the region of Bitterfeld-Anhalt. The artists developed an algorithm for this installation, that measured the balance of energy consumption and energy generation from both renewable and conventional resources in the area. The more the region consumed energy from alternative sources, the bigger the smile on the Public Face. When Dessau electricity networks were fed by fossil fuels, the Public Face looks sad. The dates were provided by energy and meteo GmbH.
The Fake Star was the second urban intervention. Conceived as a flying windmill in the sky, the Fake Star generated its own energy to feed an LED lamp and looked in the dark like a real star. The work could be interpreted like an artistic comment to mankind depending on the power of nature and its volatility. Furthermore the flying 'starpower station' operated from renewable energy explored in a poetic way the effects of the 'post-fact' period and our collective perception of truth. In the time of digital media, facts and credibility are measured based on each individual’s social reality and influences as well as on what the majority agrees.
For further information contact:
Website: dynamis-online.de
Website: energieavantgarde.de
Website: publicartlab.org
Website: futuredivercities.eu
Co-funded by Creative Europe