In the video installation Methane Lake, the artist paints on large blocks of ice from different moments in history that have calved from the Arctic ice sheet and brought to the British Antarctic Survey. The act of painting with invisible methane gas presents itself as a time capsule of the frequency of the Earth 20,000 years ago, representing the imagined notion of a time we cannot go back to. The artist embarked on an expedition to explore this beautiful and vital Arctic ice which holds a memory that extends for millions of years into the past. The film explores the slow workings of geological processes found deep in permafrost, meditating on the sentience of ice. By painting on ice from different moments in history and letting them melt, the artist wishes to express the infinite concept of Ensō. Ensō is rooted in Japanese calligraphy and closely related to the concept of wabi-sabi — the Japanese idea of the transience of all things. Ensō is a circle that has since ancient times been written with canes or sticks in mid-air.
A WORLD WITHOUT ICE (soundtrack to film)
The piece plays with a world rhythm in subtle ways to explore a Byzantine Manuscript that illustrates the physics of a pure vibrational frequency and how notions of The Pythagorean “harmony of the spheres” (Johannes Kepler) once served as a universal model for explaining the order of the cosmos.
Biography
Siobhán is working with world-leading research facilities such as The European Space Agency (ESA) and The JRC European Commission to explore nature in light of current ecological concerns. Across research labs, her research-based approach pursues knowledge to ask questions about the structure and history of the Earth. She calls on notions of what is still unknown to science, exploring the Anthropocene and the recent consequences of our treatment of nature.
Artist-in-Residence at Studiotopia and Trinity College Dublin (2020-2023.) Siobhán is exploring the Anthropocene and the recent consequences of our treatment of nature. Current and upcoming exhibitions include: The Model, Ireland (2023), Centre for Contemporary Art LAZNIA (2022); Bozar, Brussels (2022) and Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris (2022)
Recent awards include the Ocean Memory Award (2022); Arts Council Ireland Project Award 2022; EU Commission Alumni award 2021; Culture Ireland Award 2022; Arts Council’s Visual Arts Bursary 2020; Creative Ireland Award 2020 and Climate Whirl Arts Programme Helsinki 2021.
Recent shows include BOZAR, Brussels, 2020; Deutsches Hygiene-Museum DHMD, 2020; Volta, Basel 2019; Limerick City Art Gallery, 2019; Deutsches Hygiene-Museum DHMD, 2019; The National Trust Fox Talbot Museum, UK, 2018; Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, 2018 among others. Her work is represented in many collections, both public and private such as The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Allied Irish Banks, Bank of Ireland, The Ulster Museum and Trinity College Dublin. Her projects are supported by The European Commission, The Institute of Physics, Culture Ireland, The Arts Council and The European Research Council.
Credits
Special thanks to: Christopher Ash (USA), Film maker / Atlay Film / Dr Robert Mulvaney, Galciologist, British Antarctic Survey.
Christopher Ash (USA), Film maker / Chris Bean Senior Professor and Head of Geophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) (IE) / Atlay Film / Dr Robert Mulvaney, Galciologist, British Antarctic Survey.
Methane Lake was commissioned by Gluon within the framework of STUDIOTOPIA, a project co-funded by Creative Europe Program of the European Union. With the kind support Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, the Brussels Capital-Region, The Joint Research Centre, JRC SciArt project of the European Commission, Arts Council of Ireland Project Award, Trinity College Dublin, Monaghan County Council and Culture Ireland and Creative Ireland Award.
A WORLD WITHOUT ICE (soundtrack to film)
The piece plays with a world rhythm in subtle ways to explore a Byzantine Manuscript that illustrates the physics of a pure vibrational frequency and how notions of The Pythagorean “harmony of the spheres” (Johannes Kepler) once served as a universal model for explaining the order of the cosmos. The simple chord structures, based on fifths, creates changing sound surfaces generated with the aid of humming devices and site recordings from the melting glaciers and exposed boglands.
Composer: Jonathan Nangle (IE); Scientist: Chris Bean Senior Professor and Head of Geophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) (IE)
STUDIOTOPIA is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
