Maxime Berthou & Mark Požlep: "Calliope ‒ In Corn We Trust"
Project presentation
“Calliope - In Corn We Trust” is a project by Maxime Berthou and Mark Pozlep that will start as a restoration of a traditional paddle steamer, to cruise the 1712 miles of the Mississippi River from it source in Minnesota to its mouth in Louisiana.
The trip will last for 50 days, punctuated by stops imposed by the limited capacity of the boiler. These wood cutting stops will be the pretext to get in contact with local farmers by the river and collect the corn. At the arrival to New Orleans, the boat boiler will be connected to a custom made still to be able to produce Moonshine, clear, unaged, mythical alcohol of the prohibition.
Among many topics Calliope project uncovers the layers of American history associated with Mississippi, from Native Americans, colonialism, slavery, problematic use of corn, pesticides and genetically modified seeds in American agriculture and, last but not least, the adventurous stories of Mark Twain.