Artist talk February 9th

“Resonant cube” from Pando Suite. Photo by Jeff Rice.

If a tree is the size of a forest and someone is around to record it, does it make a sound? Get the answer to this and other questions at my artist talk at Jack Straw Cultural Center on February 9th at 7 PM. I will be talking about my latest sound installation ‘Pando Suite.’ All are welcome. The exhibit is showing at the Jack Straw New Media Gallery in Seattle from January 19th to March 8th. Read more about the exhibit and how to get there.

‘A Climate of Hope’ launches at NHMU

Yes, there is still hope! About a year ago, the Natural History Museum of Utah reached out to me to contribute sounds to their newest permanent exhibit, ‘A Climate of Hope,’ which launched earlier this month. The premise is that in this age of human-caused climate change, “it’s not too late to create a future in which humans and nature thrive — every bit of warming we prevent will help.” The exhibit includes the beautiful immersive environment shown below and it features all kinds of information about how people are coping with and responding to one of our greatest ecological — and societal — problems. My job was to add sounds to several of the exhibit stations and the project was full of interesting challenges. People know what the natural world sounds like, but how does one convey the sounds of climate adaptation? Ultimately, the exhibit included interpretations of both natural and engineered environments, from a pond and an alpine forest (pictured) to cooling centers and reflective roofs. As serious as climate change is, I hope people will still enjoy this exhibit and come away feeling inspired to take action. Positive change often begins with hope. We can significantly reduce our carbon footprints and demand that our governments do the same.

Toads of Trinity rebroadcast

Two adobe buildings are among the few structures that remain at Trinity Base Camp on the White Sands Missile Range. Photo by Jeff Rice. Approved for release.

The night before the world’s first test of the atomic bomb, scientists heard a strange sound coming from the edge of Trinity Base Camp. Hear a rebroadcast of my story “The Toads of Trinity” on NPR’s Here & Now. The story makes a great tie-in to the new Oppenheimer movie.

New works and a Pando journal

What is the sound of Pando?

“What does Pando sound like? For most people, the sound of an aspen grove is defined by its trembling leaves. For me, as someone who has been around aspens my whole life, this sound is instantly recognizable and almost impossible to describe.” Read more in my “Pando Journal,” a short essay now published by Friends of Pando. The page also includes some of my experimental audio work.

Hidden Soundscapes at Tinworks in July

This July 8 - October 14, I am presenting a series of “Hidden Soundscapes” as part of the Invisible Prairie exhibition at Tinworks gallery in Bozeman, Montana. Sounds will be presented in a 5.1 surround format with the help of Tinworks staff, engineer KC Luchsinger, and Jason Bolte of the Montana State University School of Music. Recording locations include Montana’s American Prairie Reserve and sites in Texas, Indiana, Nebraska, and Washington.