Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre: Casting : An Overview by Julie McGowan

Summary

Exploring man’s interaction, impact and effect on unique and challenging natural environments.
Conducting a series of experiments with field recordings of bioacoustic, hydro phonic, manmade and environmental sounds.
Interactive identifying: mapping my journey, coastal, lough and shore based.
Developing a simple Cymatic rig to test the samples and the effects of each site-specific sample.
Testing sounds through the substances collected on location.
Filming the complex relationships investigated - Recording the vibrational, interference, diffraction and cymatic, visual and physical effects.
This body of work will be developed for exhibition and public screening, exploring this community’s connection to the environment.

Proposal.

Recording the sound under the sea, inland lakes, underground, mechanical, industrial and incidental interactions and how they acoustically impact on the natural soundscape.

Developing sampling techniques to record site-specific samples for

visual and sonic investigation.

Recording - field studies - focus bioacoustics, hydro phonic, subterranean, emissions samples collected at natural and manmade environments.

Investigating how the natural environment sounds over time, and man's interaction and effects on each different environment. Exploring new recording techniques and processes to create sound samples, tones, frequencies and more challenging complex compositions.

Long term

Developing a body of work by recording and processing sounds over a period of time, investigating how to record and test acoustic and physical elements to process, generate and test cymaticaly, using Chladni plates - vibrational testing.

Creating sculptural bubble structure type forms and deployable structures to aid the observation of the effects of sounds on minimal film surfaces: which are particularly reactive for non-active ranges on the acoustic spectrum.

Site-specific sound & visual and physical samples.

Process

Learning how to record underground, underwater, at sea, in harbors, inland, in and on the body of water, on shores and subterranean and mechanical environmental sounds.

Testing hydrophones in different conditions on moving kayak from the waters edge in, under and around the surface.

Site specific - sound and physical samples. How, where and why they were collected is key to exploring and recording their unique sonic visual qualities.

Recording short video clips of sites identified and investigated on site visits.

An online map has been created to follow and map my progress, exploring my process- experiential techniques and testing. Initial results presented in short clips, images and sound clips.

A unique journey from the mountain, tracing the shoreline, down to the depths through the lough and creek out into open sea.

Creating a narrative that the local people and scientists use to preserve the unique coastal community whose connection and relationship with the lough is as old as time.

Local community

The first conversation on my first lough swim was with Eoghan Harris, who wrote the elegant foreword to Terrie Kearneys, “Lough Hyne Prehistory to Present.”

This was the first book I read about Lough Hyne. I couldn’t quite believe it but this was to be the way happenstance encounters would shape my curiosity and learning about this place and its people.

Eoghan explained the unique acoustics of the lough, explaining that the sounds of our voices could be heard as clearly from the viewpoint on the mountain. A natural amphitheater was created by the mountain cradling the lough and it has been used as such throughout history.

The current relationship between man and the environment provides the focus for exploration. The future of the lough and the impact of man’s increasing curiosity and uses of the lough is accommodated and overseen by a wide network of experts.

My first open studio guest- an artist- was very interested in sounds unheard. It rightly reminded me, as a former lifeguard, that safety in ever changing conditions deserves respect and careful planning.

Wild swimmers, paddlers, guides and scientists alike shared their knowledge, experience and their stories of the lough with me.

Inspired by ingenious collection methods and investigative sampling techniques developed by the scientists that have studied the lough for over one hundred years.

The scientific community have championed the significance of the lough and its inhabitants onto a world stage. They work practically unnoticed by most except the superstar inhabitants they have the privilege to study.

The importance of the local community, visitors and the dedicated scientists who are all entrusted with the ongoing preservation of this jewel.

The people here have a deep connectedness to the lough and that is why they are entrusted with the care taking of Lough Hyne through the ages.

The local community’s connection to the lough and to the sea is deeply interwoven over time. Layers and surfaces are constantly changing the variety of unique environmental conditions.

Highlights

Eoghan Harris- “Yes, it’s is truly a privilege to behold….”

My mission has been developing since my first encounter - I was overwhelmed and little disorientated, almost dizzied by the beauty. It was indeed “a privilege to be behold.“ Asked my direction I didn't truly know and couldn't know what effect this place and its people would have. Our voices could be heard clearly in the surrounding mountains which have (held) the waters of Lough Hyne for thousands of years and had daily exchanges with the sea.

Bioluminous- I ran my fingers through the mini pulses of light that are so slight that recording the experience was not possible. I was hoping to get the call that goes out to tell people when it’s at its strongest. They meet and swim in the glowing waters in the black of night. Heat, movement and complex environmental conditions all contribute to this natural light show.

Atlantic Kayakers - preparation & planning on the water journeys to learn about the conditions and the history of the coast and identify sites for recordings.

Lough to sea - acoustically recorded -with my hand made hydrones in a macgyvered backpack attaching drag and contact mics off the side of the boat. I had a human power boat engine and expert guides who let me record the sounds from the side of a kayak from the lough shore down the rapids into the caves and out to the sea. My back pack with two hydrophones captured: lough, rapids, creeks, caves, sea, a causeway and finally a friary glide across the incoming tide. It was an experience I will never forget and provides sounds unheard.

Collecting field and subsurface samples from the side of a kayak fairy gliding across rapids. My mics were to pick up so many unexpected sounds, some vaguely recognisable, incidental sounds and sounds unheard.

Fishing Supply - using weights and floats to experiment with underwater suspension of microphones in different flows and depths.

The guy in the shop wanted to know if I was trying to hear the fish talking to each other.

Western shore - playing the water wall, a babbling stream with steps into the water created a variety of video and sounds.

Professor Rob McAllen from UCC arranging access to the rapids for day of field, hydro phonic and video recording which I will never forget.

" The Flood"

Photograph

Hydro phonic sound collected at the rapids.

Follow Up

To know this place is part of a way of living that connects it to the people who develop a deep intuitive understanding of its rhythms and ever changing conditions. Those who delve deeper into longer term scientific study have developed ingenious experimental techniques and methods to collect and monitor a uniquely challenging working environment.

Cymatics and Chladni type plates provide the mechanisms through which the geometry of sound vibrations have been tested and visually illustrated through several different mediums.

Experiment with acoustic modeling and the use of spectral analysis techniques for use on live field recording trips.

Short film of all the slipways, steps and shoreline tidal exchanges using time lapsing, underwater mics to record the sea level as it rises and falls through constant tidal exchanges. The voices echoing through the ancient mountain tops that form a unique acoustic soundscape .

The challenge of capturing the unique land and water based visually and acoustically is as complex as it is varied.

My first underwater footage … where seaweed meadows and vegetation create clouds of color texture forms free floating strands and sculptural carpets where light projects from the surface above.