LIMINAL - Anthropocene - Freya Mitchison

Sound art piece inspired by the sonic similarities between unexplored regions of the deep ocean and outer space. Created using real sound samples from the NASA sound gallery and the deep ocean.

Other worlds - Freya Mitchison

This track forms part two of a collaboration between sound artist Sarah Verrinder and polar scientist Dr. Henrieka Detlef, a postdoctoral scientist working at Aarhus University in Denmark. Hennie's research involves the use of geochemical signatures in preserved in ocean sediments to reconstruct past changes in Arctic sea ice.

Sarah: "With a background in creative writing, I took a poetic approach to my pieces, which were both inspired by my chat with Henrieka. I'd not spoken to a polar climate change scientist before, so was a little daunted at the prospect. However, Hennie's specialism, reconstructing sea ice changes in the Arctic, really piqued my interest. The idea of "reconstruction" threw up myriad poetic possibilities. I was even more intrigued when Hennie, in the opening minutes of our conversation, described her role as researching the climate of the past. After that, the pieces pretty much wrote themselves. 'Ice Time' came from thinking about history (time) and climate change in the polar regions, but the use of wake up calls could also suggest the future - a morning after the night before. Hennie's passion for the regions she works in shone through in our conversation -she's a true polar poet!- and 'Speech Piece' combines phrases from our conversation with audio from a short film about polar climate change and some triangle music, that I thought sounded appropriately icy. Working on the pieces was great fun, and I hope Hennie thinks I've done her proud!"

POLAR - Ice Time - Sarah Verrinder

This track is the result of a collaboration between sound artist Sally Child and polar scientist Dr. Elaine Mawbey, a postdoctoral scientist at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge. Elaine's research involves using the geochemical signatures preserved in microfossils called foraminifera, recovered from sediments in the Southern Ocean, to reconstruct changes in the Antarctic Ice Sheet and its interaction with the Southern Ocean.

Sally: "The narrative starts in the Antarctic landscape: the ship, the Nathaniel B, appears, moving over foraminifera, four of which are represented by their own individual sound motifs ( coded versions of their names). The foraminifera are brought to the surface, collected and catalogued. The ship leaves."

polar project

POLAR - Foraminifera - Sally Child

This track forms part one of a collaboration between sound artist Freya Mitchison and polar scientist Ewa Poniecka, who is completing her doctoral research at Cardiff University on the microbial life within cryoconite holes, also known as black holes, on polar glaciers. Ewa's work specifically assesses the role of heterotrophic bacteria in supporting cryoconite ecosystems. She has completed fieldwork in Greenland and Antarctica.

Freya: "I've known Ewa for years as a scientist so it was really fun to work with her as a sound artist. These tracks were made during lockdown with limited access to field recordings and equipment, so I had to get creative with what I had. The two pieces use some of the same samples, including a cello and a sound sample donated by Eli Brown which was generated by leaving a microphone in a compost heap, and was as close to audible bacterial activity as I could get. 'black hole // cryoconite hole' represents a more literal interpretation and representation of Ewa's science, which may or may not include a recording of my toilet. 'journey into a black hole' was, as the name suggests, how I imagine falling into a glacial cryoconite black hole might sound. It also makes use of some real space sounds from NASA's public sonic library."

POLAR - Black hole // Cryoconite hole - Freya Mitchison

This track forms part two of a collaboration between sound artist Freya Mitchison and polar scientist Ewa Poniecka, who is completing her doctoral research at Cardiff University on the microbial life within cryoconite holes, also known as black holes, on polar glaciers. Ewa's work specifically assesses the role of heterotrophic bacteria in supporting cryoconite ecosystems. She has completed fieldwork in Greenland and Antarctica.

Freya: "I've known Ewa for years as a scientist so it was really fun to work with her as a sound artist. These tracks were made during lockdown with limited access to field recordings and equipment, so I had to get creative with what I had. The two pieces use some of the same samples, including a cello and a sound sample donated by Eli Brown which was generated by leaving a microphone in a compost heap, and was as close to audible bacterial activity as I could get. 'black hole // cryoconite hole' represents a more literal interpretation and representation of Ewa's science, which may or may not include a recording of my toilet. 'journey into a black hole' was, as the name suggests, how I imagine falling into a glacial cryoconite black hole might sound. It also makes use of some real space sounds from NASA's public sonic library."

POLAR - Journey into a black hole - Freya Mitchison

This track forms part one of a collaboration between sound artist Delta Scuti (Val Archer) and polar scientist Frida Hoem, who is completing her doctoral research at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. Frida's research involves using dinoflagellates (bioluminescent microscopic algae that live at the ocean surface) to reconstruct changes in polar ocean conditions during key intervals of earth history.

POLAR - Dinoflagellates - Delta Scuti

This track forms part two of a collaboration between sound artist Delta Scuti (Val Archer) and polar scientist Frida Hoem, who is completing her doctoral research at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. Frida's research involves using dinoflagellates (bioluminescent microscopic algae that live at the ocean surface), to reconstruct changes in polar ocean conditions during key intervals of earth history

POLAR - Bioluminescence - Delta Scuti

This track is created by sound artist Patricia Mcgahan

POLAR - Equilibrium - Patricia Mcgahan

POLAR - Equilibrium 2 - Patricia Mcgahan

This track is a recording of a live performance by sound artist and climate researcher Dr. Freya Mitchison at the Hundred Years Gallery in November 2019. The track represents a live response using a cello and a loop pedal to a collection of real Antarctic field recordings. The structure of the track was also inspired by Freya's doctoral research reconstructing the history of the Antarctic ice sheets, and seeing the modern changes and increased Antarctic melting today. Whilst the ice sheets have waxed and waned over the last 34 million years, the rate and magnitude of modern observed changes appear unique within our current understanding of geological history.

POLAR - Antarctica (live performance) - Freya Mitchison

Collaborative creative project/platform for all things sound art, pop music and environment. If you identify as a creative or environmentalist and would like to collaborate, please get in touch!

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