Geographica is a site-specific, interactive sound work that encourages the audience to collectively explore the senses in nature and be participants in the work on several levels.
I believe that positive stimulation of our sensory impressions is an important element in art, and elsewhere and has a great impact on our quality of life and creativity.
Therefore, I am concerned with creating works that are interesting in relation to the interaction with our surroundings and the impressions we receive in the form sound in particular, which from nature’s side are important for our daily life and which have also traditionally had a colossal significance.
Modern society has introduced new functions for sound in the cityscape and in our everyday lives, which today are influenced to a completely different degree than in the past, which is why the way we experience and interact with sensory impressions is also constantly changing, for better or for worse.
In my artistic work I am very interested in this development and explore the interaction between the natural- and the synthetic produced sounds, in relation to the sensory impressions and not least the importance of the physical space in that context.
“Geographica” as an exploratory sonic experience, invites you to explore an invisible sound backdrop that changes in interaction with the surroundings. The work does not follow a story or timeline, instead it strives to sharpen the senses of its audience and stimulate curiosity about the sound around us and the way we modern humans listen.
The work takes place outside in a predefined area.
In practical terms you will, as audience, borrow a wearable listening device, bring it outside and turn it on. By moving around the area, you will experience that the sound from the device changes according to your location, creating a living soundtrack in contact with the surroundings that invites for exploration. A kind of sonic “augmented reality” if you will.
The device is composed of various electronic parts: GPS receiver, sensors, microcontrollers and speakers.
The sound and interaction is controlled with movement of the user, as well as data from various sensors build into the wearable units, so that you as a user are able to focus on the sound emitted from the devices as well as the ambience, rather than concentrate on the technology.
The work was though up as a musical work to be experienced in an alternative setting. It is intended as a work of art that can be developed and adapted to different locations and thus also intended as a traveling performance.
In the artwor, the level of interactivity is, with a single expression, simple to decode, but at the same time has an interesting expression. I think that allowing a physically interactive work to be movable, or even mobile, is an exciting premise in itself. As a work in a public space, I also think it is very interesting to let the work adapt to its location and possibly develop over the course of the day and, for example, also adapt to, or react to, the weather or other interesting local data, such as demographics etc.
Geographica was first presented as an installation at Marienlystparken in Aarhus 10/04/21 – 15/06/21. It was later selected by Snyk as a part of their project “Koncert til Danmark” and presented at SAK in Svendborg 2021-2023.
A third instalment is presented fall 2023 at Sydhavnstippen and Valbyparken in Copenhagen in collaboration with Sydhavnens Bibliotek and financially supported by Kongens Enghave culture committee.
Marienlyst Park Festival Marienlyst, Aarhus, DK 2021
Kunsthal SAK (in collaboration with SNYK) Svendborg, DK, 2021-2023
