Materials. Transducers with amplifier. Plant pots. Native seeds. Soil. Mp3player. Coding. Supercollider
I AM THE FOREST (2021) is an installation on climate emergencies, which invites the audience to listen to the health of our world’s forests and at the same time engage in a deforestation micro-activism practice. To create the sonifications I used 20 years of data from Global Forest Watch, an NGO created to “offer the latest data, technology, and tools that empower people everywhere to better protect forests”.
Throughout the installation, the participants can listen to the sonifications by hugging trees, later plant some seeds, and read a text encouraging them to think about deforestation in a poetic and scientific way.
Click to read and imagine how the sound installation is developed.
The installation is very resilient and can be performed in different scenarios: from gardens to forests, from greenhouses to a lonely tree in a shopping center.
1. Entering the space. People scan a QR code to access an online PDF with an introduction, a set of instructions, and a reflective and informative text about deforestation.
2. Accessing the PDF. The QR gives access to this PDF, where the first page contains an introduction and instructions for the installation, and the second page is a scientific text next to a poetic reflection on deforestation to reinforce the message of the artwork.
3. Hugging a tree. the sonifications are played using transducers connected to trees, so the tree works as an amplifier. By hugging the tree, the participants can feel the vibration of the sounds, and by positioning their ears against the trunk, they can hear the sounds of deforestation.
4. Planting seeds. Pots filled with soil, and bags with seeds are lying around the trees. The participants can plant the seeds, water them, plant the around the space or take the pots home to grow a new potential forest.
5. After the installation. The whole installation has been reduced to a box, so the participant can take it to their home and plant a forest wherever they want.
Check out more Participatory Sound Installations HERE