An evolving chorus of birdsong dedicated to people who have died will fill Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens as part of a new immersive artwork opening this week (August 21).
Memorial Birdsongs, by American artist and designer Scott Hessels, invites visitors to choose a bird and its song to represent someone they have lost.
They can explore a collection of 200 field recordings and original bird paintings by Chinese artist Li Changan using their phones. Their selection is then played through one of 50 speakers positioned around the Winter Gardens, gradually creating a communal soundscape of remembrance.
Visitors can also receive a digital memento featuring the chosen artwork and song alongside the name of the person being remembered.
Hessels created the project after being asked to produce an exhibition connected to the AIDS Memorial Quilt while working in Hong Kong. Concern about some of the language appearing in messages left by members of the public led him to consider how a memorial could be made resistant to hatred or abuse.
“I wanted to create a healing community, an inclusive experience that was completely hate proof, and Memorial Birdsong was my answer,” he said.
The artist, whose work brings together technology, sound, moving image and public participation, has previously presented Memorial Birdsongs internationally, including in Hong Kong and France.
He also has connections with the North East after completing a residency in Newcastle in 2014.
“I have friends in the area and I’m looking forward to catching-up with them – while Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens is a perfect setting for Memorial Birdsongs. It’s a beautiful, enclosed space which fits the project wonderfully.
“Although it’s a reflective installation about loss and grief, I’ve found kids love it too, and there’s an element of joy to the process. It’s about sharing grief in a shared space and knowing you’re not alone.”
Memorial Birdsongs is free to experience at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens from August 21-29. It will be the final exhibition before the museum closes to the public for a major programme of redevelopment and improvement work.
The Sunderland installation forms part of the 404 International Festival of Art & Technology, which is coming to the North East for the first time from August 26 to September 1.
Events across Sunderland, Newcastle and Gateshead will bring together artists, designers and researchers to explore the relationship between art, technology and society.