Designated Sites of Tranquillity 2004-6
Related video Peaceful Stream Quiet Hill 2008.
Audio work 2004 on Soundcloud
This project explores the idea of tranquillity mapping and responds to research carried out by Geographers at the University of Northumbria (UNN) in conjunction with the campaign for Rural England and the Countryside Agency. The research took the form of a social survey which looked at what people thought made the countryside tranquil. This information was then analysed statistically to produce maps of Northumberland National park and West Durham Coalfield.
I was fascinated by this attempt to objectively map an idea as subjective as the feeling of tranquility in nature. Initially I documented the research process and produced a series of photographs and sound works, then made more work responding to sites deemed to be high in tranquillity. Whilst visiting these 'tranquil locations' I discovered a cini film in the ruins of a demolished building, which I pieced back together and transferred to DVD. The film ‘Peaceful Stream, Quiet Hill’ was created using this found footage, field recordings from the site and text from UNN research documents.
The project was exhibited at Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art in February 2006 and has subsequently been added to their permanent collection. Work was also included in the show We Love New York? Broadway Gallery New York.
Article in NY Arts Magazine Fall 2010
Paper presented at Sounding Out 4 University of Sunderland 2008
a pdf from the talk is available here