Decomposing Landscape

We have arguably entered the Anthropocene – ‘a new geologic era, defined by unprecedented human-made disturbances over earth’s ecosystems’. In this era, the climatic balance of the natural landscapes in many developed as well as developing and re-emerging economies are endangered. Many parts of the contemporary world are going through intensifying process of land development to facilitate rapid urbanization and industrialization. As a result of this speedy development, these pastoral landscapes are developing into industrial zones deeply affecting the environmental as well as socio-cultural climate. Consequently, these areas are decaying as bucolic terrains to become homogenized industrial sites making the transitions complex to grasp on the background of their rich culture and locative history. Ongoing project Decomposing Landscape creates a discursive situation instead of a traditionally immersive experience in media art, in order to facilitate an in-depth and contemplative observation of such transitive landscapes for affective engagement and public action. With a media anthropological approach, the project frames the slow decay of these sites with the help of digital convergence, staging augmented environments for site-specific interpenetration between sound, video and still images. The final outcomes of the project include an Ambisonics sound composition, a multi-channel sound/video installation and works for VR. The project is being developed through a meticulous collection of materials from various representative locations starting with an initial phase of fieldwork (2009-2011) that was supported by Prince Claus Fund Amsterdam.