FIELD RECORDINGS

An investigation into the archaeology of the invisible, hidden and psychologically closed space of the ‘other’ militarised landscape.

 

Spanning from the ruins of ‘Cold War’ technological architectures this research project tours to functioning and speculative closed military locations utilising National Grid and the geographical coordinates system, to investigate, detect and record the unseen and unheard emitted from these sites as an ecology of the pervasive, mythical and material.

 

In the form of radiation- radio, radar and high frequency line of site transmissions, Field Recordings actively seeks and translates a terrain of electromagnetic activity into aural readings and also as data. The electro-magnetic space indicates varying levels of communications and activity- some sites are provides specific functions for day to day traffic communications, e.g. ‘air to air’ jet communications, whilst others hold much more specific intentions and are infamous for this; sites which can only be described as ‘imaginery’.¹

 

To date, I have made a number of journeys to around 16 sites, all in the UK, many in Scotland. Scotland, ideally situated for the remote placement of sites; Scotland is less inhabited and also geographically sites are strategically placed for clear trajectories across the Atlantic and North Sea.

 

Field recordings is an investigative art project from the perspective of an artist. It aims to provide research of historical and contemporary structures which impact and continue to shape our corporate, ‘social’ and civic technological infrastructure. Both the invisible and physical architectures therefore become relevant.

 

The physical boundary of each site is never encroached, however at each site it was, and is,  necessary to know issues of legality and rights.

2006 – ongoing

 

1.’Imaginary Futures: From Thinking Machines to the Global Village’ By Dr. Richard Barbrook. http://www.imaginaryfutures.net/