There’s something about Antarctica that is intriguing. While not on one’s list of usual travel destinations, it is a destination at the forefront of conversations around climate change.
Thanks to various mediums of art, we are able to have experiences that can help us to better understand different destinations around the world, and in turn have a better understanding of our environment.
Polar Force: Speak Percussion is one such example.
A hyper-realistic art experience created by Dr Philip Samartzis and Eugene Ughetti, it serves as an investigation of extreme wind and temperature.
Set to perform live at RMIT Gallery, audiences will be transported via sound, custom built ice instruments and Antarctic field recordings into an environment of extreme wind and temperatures, one that is exposed to unrelenting wind, cold, light and haze.
By presenting this work, the artists and their audience explore notions of human fragility and isolation, while metaphorically highlighting climate change. New ice-instruments that produce wholly unique acoustic results distort as they melt and fracture to render the ice and ‘weather’ into audible phenomena.
The musical and structural foundation of the work is created by combining music from these instruments with high fidelity field recordings that have been made in the Australian Antarctic Territory from katabatic winds and extreme weather events.
After the performance, Dr Samartzis will address the audience and discuss the hundreds of hours of recordings made during his two Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowships, which underpin the work.
The performance is taking place as part of a new exhibition by Malte Wagenfeld titled Dynamics of Air. On show from 14 September, it showcases specially commissioned works by designers, creative practitioners and engineers that capture the beauty, dynamics and sensuality of air in our built environment.
Dr Philip Samartzis and Eugene Ughetti will perform live at RMIT Gallery (344 Swanston St, Melbourne, VIC) on Thursday 11 October from 5.30-6.30 pm. Attendance is free. To book your spot, click here.