seeing at a distance
2007
“seeing at a distance” takes the form of a reactive sound installation and sonic urban data walk that is based on noise levels, which connects the newly opened Knowle West Media Centre (opened in April, 2008) in the south of Bristol and Arnolfini, gallery, in the city centre.
Background
Noise is one of the most mapped environmental pollutants. However, what one person considers as noise, another may consider as comfort, the sound that locates them in space or the friction that articulates life forces.
Historically, the Knowle West neighbourhood estate developed on lands that were once rural farmlands. Between the World Wars, its development drew on garden city principles and new modes of urban planning that took the car as key factor of everyday life.
With the neighbourhood retaining rich traditions to its rural foundations and hinterlands, its high elevation provides some of the most spectacular views of Bristol city. Yet this green aspect of the neighbourhood is often not brought to the fore.
“seeing at a distance” plays with the neighbourhoods green position as a vantage point and ideas of distance as a perspective through which reversals can be experienced. Reversals that connect to a communities perception of itself, to reversals in environmental monitoring, noise perceptions and what we may consider in the future as ‘good’ places to live.
Installation
Drawing on the neighbourhoods elevated position and sonic calm, a reactive sound installation draws on noise levels collected via microphones positioned outside of the newly opened, Knowle West Media Centre and Arnolfini gallery, Bristol.
At each of these points microphones are position that face out on to street, which are connected to a series of small fans that are positioned in light boxes, which are placed in the windows of each venue. Inside each installation box, a micro tableau – a static scene is created.
When the noise reaches decibels that are considered in urban areas as detrimental to human health, the fans activate a series of small kinetic sculptures that create ‘micro events’ and movements to triggered in each of the boxes. With each light box acting as its own ecology and system that further reflects on notion of incremental change, trigger points and cycles of change from positive and negative.
Noise levels captured on the walks between Knowle West Media Centre and Arnolfini are also visualised in a series of printed maps, with the data overlaid onto Google Maps. With the route taken in part following historic pathways gathered through a series of workshops and stories about the area, collated during interviews with senior citizens and younger members of the Knowle West community.
Materials
Resident interviews with members from Knowle West Community, Google maps, Sciencescope noise sensor and Google api, 2 x mini microphones, 2 x arduino boards, C++, lightening gels, 2 x light bulbs, 2 x wooden light boxes, screen material, 2 x mini fans, miniature sculptures and figures
Credits
Commissioned by
Knowle West Media Centre & Arnolfini Bristol as part of the Keys Commission, that coincided with the opening of the new Knowle West Media Centre.
