My project-based practice has led me to pursue a range of topics: genetics, the anthropocentric environment, absence, and solastalgia. What unites these subjects is the idea of “involuntary memory” as described by Marcel Proust, in “À la recherche du temps perdu.” My work attempts to create involuntary memories; akin to Derrida’s contention that the past can continue to haunt the present, my intention is to trigger (create or re-create) involuntary memories in the audience, through work that is rich with sensual input. Using a variety of media within each project allows me to explore a subject through engaging with touch, sight, sound, and occasionally taste. This approach lends itself to the creation of series of works each of which presents a facet of the idea under consideration, and collectively provokes consideration of overarching concepts through cumulative impact.
During initial research, I often make extensive use of photography; this allows me to capture exactly what caught my eye at a given moment: textures, colour, and detail. From there, painting allows me to process ideas over time, and is not meant to be mimetic, but rather a record of enduring impressions. Sculpture memorializes certain concepts or reference points and expands the idea into space. Finally, sound situates ideas in place and geography, whilst defying physical boundaries.
I find myself wanting to integrate the use of sound into my work – particularly the notion of composition or score creation. I am excited by such explorations, as they represent a concrete bridge between the visual/object-based elements of my practice and the enveloping aspects of aurally received work.
Seeing sound has become a preoccupation in the past few years, as I have been researching the graphic notation of sound without the use of conventional musical/sound notation. These investigations formed the basis of my MFA (2017) and resulted in the creation of a graphic score, Between the Song and the Silence, during my second Banff residency the same year. This Banff residency also resulted in my selection as the inaugural Artist in Residence at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of British Columbia, the ultimate outcome of which was the creation of the graphic score, 'slippages': a synthesis of material from research regarding the physical, anthropological, and philosophical properties of glaciers, which was performed by the UBC Symphony Orchestra at the Chan Centre in Vancouver October 5, 2018.
Graphic scores derived from scientific explorations are not commonly included in regular Symphony Orchestra programs, nor are the works of non-musician visual artists: I would like to continue to bridge disciplines, pushing the boundaries and potential of visually & aurally integrated works of art.
The original score is meant to be presented stacked, with page 1 on top. Each sheet represents a history, with the most recent history first.
The past influences the present.
It is written in the language of glaciers, informed by their physics, chemistry, ecologies and philosophy.
The holes in the score reference the holes found on the surfaces of glaciers.
The language is meant to be read through time. What is seen through the holes is played in the present and dominates the past.
This language is subject to movement and influenced by geography.
It is recommended that both temperature and mass be balanced, and that energy be conserved at all times.
Considering stress and strain and deformations, it is desirable to crumple score sheets and drop them as necessary. Solastalgia may be experienced as drifts emerge.
The number of musicians can be extremely variable. This piece was originally conceived of as having a length of 10 minutes. For large ensembles, such as symphony orchestras, it is recommended that the work be timed, with each sheet representing approximately 25 sec. As the time-scale of glaciers is dramatically different from ours, I would suggest that this too may be mutable.
The original 'slippages' score consists of twenty-seven 18 inch by 24 inch pages of bespoke St-Armand cotton paper, with the score rendered in coloured acrylic ink and marine salt.
Graphic scores in general do not have to contain any musical notation – although some may incorporate notations in unusual configurations.
My scores contain no musical notation whatsoever.
'slippages' has no temporal or pitch indications; although it has a suggestion related to the overall length of the work to facilitate working with large ensembles.
It will produce a unique piece each time it is played.
It will encourage close listening – a necessary thing in these kinds of dialogues.
It will (hopefully) inspire experimentation.
It is not a free improvisation.
Structured improvisations provide a framework to examine ideas, themes, and sound.