birbuçuk (one-and-a-half) Collective aims to re-interpret, and re-discuss the information, knowledge and suggestions revealed through scientific and socio-political studies around ecology and social movements in our planet and geography, deliberating them regarding visual arts, performing arts and design platforms. Designated as a sharing ground to contemplate on our mutual future, birbuçuk investigates the possibilities of the intersections of and dialogue possibilities between science, social movements and arts through its meeting agenda that includes topics such as nature, energy, justice, diversity, borders, metabolism, and geography. The first chain of meetings “Respiration” gathers people who are willing to re-think, re-investigate and re-create within the scope of various topics around the subject together. Respiration aims to critically examine pre-established structures, the socioeconomic metabolism, relations between human and non-human entities, and to discuss alternative future scenarios.

birbuçuk does not aim to change the future. It aims to enable undisciplined environments and commonalities through bringing together the ideas and individuals that will change the future. birbuçuk is inspired by the necessities and possibilities of a just limitation of climate change to the safe 1.5°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels and is interested in “halves. It takes ground on the conversation and micro-narratives between singular, discipline-oriented study fields and methods, and tries to form connection points. It resists having a constant essence and being canonical and supports multiplicity, heterogeneity and consilience. It does not have a root or a specific orientation. It is not a beginning nor an end. It is an experimental, fluctuating, asymmetrical and open-ended exploration.

birbuçuk has been working independently for two years with the coordination of climate change and energy economist/performance artist Ayşe Ceren Sarı (born 1985, Ankara), environmental and systems scientist/artist Serkan Kaptan (born 1983, Ankara), and curator Yasemin Ülgen (born 1983, Ankara). Since December 2018, birbuçuk Collective has organised meetings titled Water, Biodiversity, Metabolism, Boundaries, Food, Climate, Mining, Gender of Society, and Energy, and has brought over 50 artists and experts together. The collective will continue organising meetings with the titles Culture, Waste, Land/Forest, Agriculture, City, Commons and Scenarios of the Future, and will compile meeting outcomes in a book titled Political Ecology and Art in Turkey.