San Francisco Artists Bring Immersive Underwater Sound Art

San Francisco Artists Bring Immersive Underwater Sound Art to Wellington Waterfront for the Fringe

San Francisco based artists Sasha Leitman and Jessie Alsop are bringing their soundart installation Sonic Windows to the Wellington Waterfront for ten days, as part of the 2016 Fringe Festival. The installation, which is part Sound Art, part interactive Object D'art allows listeners to plug into the natural soundscape that exists beneath the surface of the Wellington Harbor. It is an immersive, meditative experience, sometimes quiet, sometimes rowdy, nonetheless constant.

Leitman, a Lecturer and Research Engineer at Stanford University's Center for Computer Music has installed pairs of underwater microphones (hydrophones) at two locations along the waterfront. Participants will plug their own headphones into beautifully handcrafted boxes, made in the tradition of the Sailor’s Ditty Box with wood reclaimed from a scuttled boat in the San Francisco Bay.

Much like San Francisco, Wellington is a city entwined with the ocean and the elements. Its residents long enticed by the mystery and magic of the ocean; not just to its natural qualities, but to the histories of exploration and adventure that inspire and sometimes terrify us.

Despite our wonder, human senses are not built for experiencing underwater sound in an optimal way. Our ears are tuned to hear in air (where our brain measures the time delay between the right ear and the left ear to tell us where a sound is coming from). By using a stereo pair of specifically spaced hydrophones, the artists are able to create a listening experience that allows listeners to experience what it would be like if their bodies were more equipped for the underwater environment without getting their hair wet.

WHAT: An interactive soundart installation that allows listeners to plug their own headphones into a live feed of the underwater sounds in the Wellington Harbor.

WHEN: 24 hours a day, Monday 15th - Sunday 22nd of February.

WHERE: At two separate locations along the Wellington Waterfront: in the nook between the Free Ambulance Dive platform & Te Papa, and by the footbridge near the Boatshed & Rowing club. For a site map click here.

HOW: There is no cost. Participants can bring their own headphones, equipped with a standard minijack input (like you’d find on an ipod or cellphone) or use a pair provided.

ENDS

© Scoop Media