Sounding Waters: Nakdong river, south korea (2022)
12-channel audio installation featuring underwater recordings captured along a stretch of the Nakdong River: from the mouth at the East Sea to the “bulge” section north of Gimhae City.
Nakdonggang is the longest river in South Korea: connecting the Taebaek Mountains to the ocean. The river waters support a diverse range of industry, wildlife, and human activity, and have been central in shaping Korean geography, history and culture.
The river has been the site of several environmental catastrophes, but also features many of South Korea’s recently established ecological parks. In many ways, Nakdonggang connects the past, present, and future of the country.
Speakers are suspended from the ceiling in an array that corresponds to the respective geographic locations of the recordings: referencing the meandering path of Nakdonggang, and presenting a composite "sound map” of the underwater environment.
The installation makes audible the complex assemblage of human and nonhuman activities that intersect within these waters, and gradually transitions to a more abstracted interpretation of the “voice” of Nakdonggang centered around three dominant sound frequencies identified across the field recordings.
The work was produced through support from the Changwon Cultural Foundation’s international artist residency program and the Ontario Arts Council.
Documentation from Changwon Sculpture Biennale (Seongsan Art Hall, Changwon City, South Korea)