SonarPLANTA 2016
Earthworks
During the third edition of SonarPLANTA, the Fundació Sorigué and Sónar presented “Earthworks”, by the British artistic studio Semiconductor, an installation inspired by the natural surroundings of PLANTA, which involved collaboration with geo-technology experts from the University of Barcelona.
“Earthworks” represents the process of formation of the earth and the constant changes that occur in its structure and landscape, from those caused by natural phenomena (earthquakes, erosions) to those produced by the effects of activity human, which define a new geological era: the Anthropocene.
Five large screens arranged in zigzag formation serve as the support for this multi-channel video installation. “Earthworks” projects high definition animated graphics that represent the movement of the layers of the earth, down to the smallest detail: layers that melt and separate in constant motion, driven by seismographic data from phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and glaciers, and transformed into a enveloping sound experience by the British artistic duo.
The seismic data was obtained from the PLANTA surroundings and from the public IRIS file (Incorporated Research Institution for Seismology) with the help of geo-technology experts from the Faculty of Earth Sciences at the University of Barcelona. In this manner, the piece also incorporates a series of vivid and current data that is directly related to the new Anthropocene era.
