Aquatocene / Subaquatic quest for serenity
2016
The work encourages reflection on human impact on the underwater habitat, as well as on establishing or maintaining safe sonic environments for animals living in seas, lakes or rivers. Aquatocene / Subaquatic quest for serenity investigates the phenomenon of underwater noise pollution created by humankind in seas and oceans. Over the last few years Robertina has produced a number of recordings using hydrophones, and collected them in a unique series of vinyl records. Underwater noise affects a great number of marine life forms who depend on the subaquatic sonic environment to survive.
Technological interventions into the ocean soundscape by means of ships, sonar, or sound cannons (used in oils exploration) can create huge disturbances in such a fragile habitat and have been connected to a number of effects ranging from the beaching of whales to the Lombard effect, where certain species themselves become louder to overcome background noise, thereby gradually increasing the intensity of the entire habitat.
Acoustic materials that have been recorded till now:
Izmir (TR) – 38°26’24.7″N 27°07’12.9″E Aegean Sea,
Roscoff (FR) 48°43’38.2″N 3°59’33.4″W Atlantic Ocean,
Dubrovnik (HR) 42°38’26.5″N 18°06’20.4″E Adriatic Sea,
Bergen (NO) 60°24’49.2″N 5°16’54.9″E North Sea,
Koper (SI) 45°32’54.9″N 13°42’20.1″E Adriatic Sea.
http://robertina.net/subaquatic/
Robertina Šebjanič is an intermedia artist working in the cross field of art, technology, and science. For several years, her artistic and research focus has been oriented towards living systems (bioart), AV performances, noise/sound art, installations and interactive immersive environments. The context for her ideas and concepts is often realized in collaboration with other authors (artists, scientists, humanists, creatives, hackers…), and is embodied in her work through interdisciplinary and informal integration. She is co-founder of the Theremidi orchestra and a member of Hackteria Network and the UR Institute. She has developed many of her works and projects in collaboration with various art production organizations such as DécaLab, Kibla, Ljudmila, Kapelica Gallery, Stadtwerkstatt, Alkatraz Gallery, etc. She received an Honorary Mention @Prix Ars Electronica 2016 in the category Interactive Art+ for the project Aurelia 1+Hz / proto viva sonification, as well as a STARTS2016 nomination for the project Time Displacement / Chemobrionic Garden.
Project RISK CHANGE (2016–2020) is co-funded by the Creative Europe Program of the European Union.
The project is also supported by the Municipality of Maribor and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia.
"The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors,
and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein."