There is another world at the north end of the Great Salt Lake. Here, the water is the color of fruit punch, and fluffy clouds of salt blanket the shore. Put your ear up close to the foam to hear this alien landscape.
Microbialites
Microbialites are among the many strange and wonderful features of the Great Salt Lake. They are mineral deposits created by salt-tolerant algae that bubble and photosynthesize in the sun. They are akin to coral and have their own sound signature. Like corals around the world, the microbialites in the Great Salt Lake are endangered. As the lake level drops, they become exposed and the algae dies, halting a process that has sometimes been going on for centuries. Aside from being fascinating, these natural features are important hatching areas for brine flies, which feed the millions of birds that gather here. They are yet another reason why we need to make sure that state and federal governments (and you and me) act soon to keep water flowing into the lake.
A symphony of disappearing sounds for the Great Salt Lake
Dates and locations have now been announced for Olafur Eliasson’s large-scale installation “A symphony of disappearing sounds for the Great Salt Lake.” The exhibit will be presented at several sites in Salt Lake City’s Memory Grove from March 26 - April 4. I was among those commissioned last fall to contribute audio recordings to the project. It included some of the most interesting recording challenges of my career. I will write more about this work in the coming weeks, but I am continuously amazed by the lake’s alien landscape, its scale, and its fragility. I grew up around Salt Lake City, and the lake always played a big part in my understanding of the natural world. I assumed it would always be there, but it has shrunk to half its normal size. The diversion of water from the lake by agriculture, cities, and industry, is now threatening the lake with ecological collapse. This catastrophe can be prevented but we need to take action now. The lake can be saved if lawmakers and the public insist on protecting it. I hope this exhibit raises awareness about what is happening. If you know anything about Eliasson’s work, the installation promises to be beautiful and thought-provoking.
Witch hazel
Happy Halloween!
“Heard in the night a snapping sound, and the fall of some small body on the floor from time to time. In the morning I found it was produced by the witch hazelnuts on my desk springing open and casting their seeds quite across my chamber, hard and stony as these nuts were." — Henry David Thoreau, from a journal entry dated September 21, 1859.
Sensorial Symphonies
Premiering in September… Some of my recordings will be featured in the Plant Philharmonic of Luxembourg! Check out a preview of Sensorial Symphonies from the dance group Elisabeth Schilling & Company. The first showings are 27th, 28th, 30th September, and 02nd October at the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. This is a strikingly original program of dance and music exploring the sensorial world of plants.
Now showing at the Schack Gallery
A scaled-down version of Pando Suite is now showing at the Schack Gallery in Everett through August. It is part of an invitation-only exhibit Cambium Layers II celebrating the beauty and resilience of trees. This is the 'transplanted' version of my exhibit from last year exploring the sounds of the Pando aspen clone. Come to the show and do some forest bathing in a gallery setting.
'First Fridays' event in Los Angeles
See you in LA this Friday, where I’ll be interviewed on stage by Dr. Yewande Pearse at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. It's part of the museum's 'First Fridays' series, and I'll be joining a slew of other creative artists and musicians to explore the themes of sound and nature. It's the kind of thing I would go to even if I weren't part of it — truly a fun night out — and I invite all my LA friends to stop by. The event is on Friday April 4th and begins at 5 PM. My conversation with Yewande starts around 6:30 PM. There's also food, beer, live music, and dinosaurs. Check it out!
(Future) snake sounds for National Geographic headquarters
One of the cool parts of this work is seeing all the random ways that my sound recordings are used — from Bigfoot documentaries to art projects and scientific research. Recently, I sent something (a fun but tiny contribution) to the National Geographic Society. If you are in D.C. in the very distant year of 2026, you’ll hear one of my rattlesnake recordings coming from a small diorama in the newly reimagined National Geographic Base Camp pavilion. Hey, those sounds have to come from somewhere.
New radio channel
Listen to some of my favorite recordings on Ecosystem Sound Radio. Now broadcasting!
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.