Joshua Le Gallienne

Surrender is a site-responsive artwork that utilises wind energy to produce acoustic sound. It is a large-scale work specifically designed for open-air environments, exploring the possibility of producing complex acoustic sound from a single material: a biodegradable plastic sheet. The material produces a range of high-fidelity sounds and rhythms as it dances in response to the wind, creating ever-changing washes of soft noise. Due to its specific material properties, the lightweight sheet reacts to subtle fluctuations in air pressure, revealing the invisible and inaudible qualities of the wind. In the first iteration of the work the material was suspended by a line spanning 250 meters across an olive grove in the valley of the Greek landscape. In this version the material will be attached to a large helium balloon that allows the material to be positioned up to a hundred meters from the ground, exploring the possibilities of the vertical sound axis. Surrender is from the artist’s on-going Action Without Action series (2012–present) – a collection of works that explore the sonic qualities of everyday materials, creating high-fidelity sound with low-tech means.

The work will be presented in one of Brighton’s natural environments for a limited time on March 12th. See location info below!