2023-Present
The Metempsychosis Project is a body of work in development with sound artist and composer, Danelle Savage. It combines sculptural fibre and soundscapes to explore the cyclical nature of existence, and will be exhibited in January 2026.
PLACING THIS WORK IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE ARTISTS: OUR CURRENT EXPLORATION
Danielle and Alexandra first started working together because of a mutual fascination with how the artistic disciplines of sound and sculpture can be combined as a transdisciplinary practice. Alexandra’s 2015 exhibition, MicrocosmoSoma, contained sculptural forms that reminded many gallery visitors of sound-making apparatuses, such as the bell of a trumpet. She was given the feedback that the exhibition ‘looked like it should make sound’. Soon after, Danielle and Alexandra embarked on a 3.5 year journey with their work, Migration Parade, exploring how these practices could be truly integrated from process to product. Is there a shared place that both sound and sculpture occupy that can shape the work from its inception, sitting in neither of these practices completely, but perhaps occupying a medium of its own? This long-term research project yielded many findings, and helped the artists establish a shared symbolic language, as well as the foundations of a sophisticated collaborative praxis and philosophy of their creative process, which they continue to hone.
Out of this exploration, grew the desire to centre the sonic composition as a true “voice” of the sculpture. For context, the speakers/ microcomputers embedded in the sculptures that make up our previous installation, Migration Parade, only have so much power and volume, and are therefore limited in their expressive capacity. Additionally, Danielle specializes in multi-channel composition. The artists want to make full use of spatializing sound - shaping it as an evolving, sculptural force throughout the room. In order to support this, they are building The Metempsychosis Project around the use of a multichannel environment (sound through multiple studio monitors), so the intricacy of the composition can be fully felt by gallery visitors.
In terms of the sculptural elements of the work, large-scale felt is rarely explored outside of traditional textile practices. Alexandra wishes to push the boundaries of the armature structures she has developed in the past to support a larger, more abstract form. Additionally, she wants to develop the use of felted sculpture as a light receptacle, exploring how light moves through felt.
Both artists will be exploring possibilities with responsive technology (using motion, laser or ultrasonic sensors). Danielle is currently developing a large installation with a group of artists in the Yukon which employs both light and sound sensors- lessons learned there may be drawn upon for integration into this piece. Both Danielle and Alexandra will be exploring how light can be sensitive to the sonic environment or gallery visitors moving through the room.
