Stephen Hurrel

Beneath and Beyond: Seismic Sounds, Installation in Tramway, Glasgow, 2008 (Part of Gi2008 Festival)

Beneath and Beyond continues my inquiry into our relationship to the natural world whilst living in a technologically advanced, as well as ecologically critical, period of time. In exploring how computer software - developed for the Internet - can bring experiences of real world environmental ‘events’ into the gallery, I have created meeting points between nature, culture and technology. Further, I can examine the potential of the gallery as an interface to discuss social, cultural and ecological issues.

My perception of both nature and technology has been shaped by the picturesque landscape of the west coast of Scotland - where the deep lochs became ideal sites to house nuclear submarines. These symbols of efficient, total destruction were in direct contrast to the ancient landscape; shaped by the slow forces of the ice age and massive tectonic shifts.

Against this background grew an interest in the idea of ‘the sublime’ in nature - a ‘greatness’ that nothing else can be compared to and that is beyond measurement or imitation - and an interest in how artists have sought to represent it.

In Beneath and Beyond, and other works that examine the increasing divergence between the natural world and technological ‘progression’, I explore how the ‘tools’ of the twenty-first century can be used to posit a more symbiotic relationship between nature and technology.

Stephen Hurrel

Watch “Beneath & Beyond” video feature on You Tube ->HERE

September 20th, 2008 | Tags: auto-generative art, Beneath and Beyond, Earth art, feedback, Installation art, Land art, seismic, seismic sounds, Sound Art, the sublime, tramway, vibrations, video and sound | Category: Projects / Exhibitions 2 |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Subscribe to comments | Both comments and pings are currently closed