2021 — Community sound art project:
“Walking the woollen sound dog with blue tooth in the neighbourhood”
Summer 2021, still during the Covid pandemic, I realized the community sound art project: “walking the woollen sound dog with blue tooth in the neighbourhood”. Inviting neighbours, people near my atelier in Amsterdam to “walk the woollen sound dog” in the local city forest. (while keeping the required 1,5 meters distance). The wearable multi sensory tactile sound dog produced immersive audible and tangible composed soundscapes or “sensescapes” with site specific field recordings, electronic and musical sounds but also recorded interviews with dog owners about their dogs.
dogs walk free! ; interviewing dog owners: Questions like: what does the dog means for you ?
dog owners hugging their dogs
dog owners walking their dogs in the city forest “Het Vliegenbos” in North Amsterdam
Questions as: what does the dog means for you? Where is the dog (gene) coming from? Did walking your dog changed your sensory experience of the environment? It triggered questions about our “multi sensorial hearing perspective” (artistic research), loyal, (un)healthy rations between men, dogs and wild animals during the Anthropocene, returning wolfs in The Netherlands, acoustic ecology and more.
Together “walking the woollen sound dog with blue tooth in the neighbourhood” resulted in intimate, joyful, refreshing moments of real meeting, sharing personal thoughts and multi sensory hearing experiences. Not to forget reactions of dogs in the public city forest: pets, animals with who we share the sensory sound habitat.
Perhaps this create more ideas about the need of more empathy for the nonhuman and resulting a decentered Anthropocene (multi sensorial hearing) perspective…?
“walking the woollen sound dog with Emmy”
The start of the project “walking the woollen sound dog with blue tooth in the neighbourhood”, July 18th, World Listening Day, dedicated to the birthday of Murray Schafer one of the initiators of Acoustic Ecology and the World Forum Acoustic Ecology inviting my artistic neighbour Emmy to walk the woollen sound dog in the city forest.
We started near my atelier in Amsterdam North. I first introduced my neighbour Emmy to Puck the woollen sound dog and explained some about the route, duration, corona restrictions, how to walk and wear, World Listening Day, etc. Because this was the first walk with Puk through the city forest the Vliegenbos we were really excited and curious how public, dog owners and their dogs would respond to this woollen fellow dog creature… Emmy was impressed when hearing and feeling the first tactile sounds of Puck barking combined with composed soundscapes, sensescapes related to the site of being. After this first tactile sonic introduction we went walking into the city forest, while listening to interviews and personal stories of dog owners. When people with their dog passing by the dogs react very strong, already from 25 meters distance…. Some times to afraid to pass Puck the woollen sound dog, taking a large arc around it after some barking … Maybe it was because of the soundscape with (reversed/reserved) sounds of wolfs in it…? Or even still curious slowly coming closer and quickly sniffing behind.
watch the reactions of dogs:
Yes, Puck made friends! with my neighbour Emmy, with other park visitors listening to parts of the interviews or soundscapes, surprised dog owners and their dogs. While walking the woollen sound dog with bluetooth, Emmy became a sound performer herself and she had no problems with it at all. It triggered her imagination and that of others too. There were some talks about dog genes and behavior in relation to the owner, reactions and hearing senses, the way we are used to listen to and sense our sonic environment, how to interpret this kind of sonic (intervention) art ?, about World Listening Day etc. Between the soundscapes, interviews we enjoyed the refreshing green and natural atmosphere of the city forest. On this sunny day there were no aggressive reactions at all (I did not know what to expect) only surprised questioning, smiling faces and listening ears. After the walk we went to the garden house of Emmy for a drink and to listen to the last rather emotional soundscape (“sad dog scape comfort”) with Puck, the woollen sound dog.
Walking the woollen sound dog with Elmer
Elmer has a high spinal cord injury with still little function in his left arm, hand with which he can control his wheelchair. Using a roller ball mouse, he creates graphic art on the computer. The first introduction to Puk the woollen sound dog with bluetooth for the studio is going well. Puk is allowed on Elmer’s lap in the wheelchair, although suddenly his leg comes against the operation of the wheelchair and tilts it for a moment… but that’s quickly resolved. When the woollen sound dog leans against Elmer, he can feel the sensescape! He is completely absorbed in the sensescape and experiences it as “spacy”; he calls Puk the “space dog”. The “wolf songs reversed/reserved” composition and the other sensescapes also remind him of Pink Floyd. Elmer listens to the “music ecosystems” sensescape at peace, with the tangible sounds of cellos, rhythmic synths and croaking frogs, as he slowly rides his wheelchair along the pond of the Vliegenbos.
Walking the woollen sound dog with Iris
Iris is a personal coach and works with (reiki) energy. She finds the woolen sound dog interesting because it stimulates different senses and also causes subtle vibrations. I let her experience a sensescape in the moment. It is a whole new experience for her that calms her down and relaxes her. When the senses cape is over, we stand together silently to listen to sounds of the city forest. A special moment to notice how “everything comes together” she says.
Walking the woollen sound dog with Moussa
Moussa is an experienced sculptor and woodworker from Senegal. We talk about the sense of touch, the feeling of form and material when making a sculpture; you do that with your whole body.. After listening to the interview about the genetic origin of the domesticated dog we take a small forest path and listen to the “wolf songs reversed/reserved”. At a good sitting place we listen the “music ecosystems”. He listens with his whole body. He thinks it’s very special and it makes hem calm. “You have to do something whit that! It’s a kind of therapy.
Walking the woollen sound dog with Benedict
Walking with Puck and listening to interviews with dog owner, there is occasionally a loud laugh from Benedict… As a true dog lover he does recognise a lot. The stories evoke memories of the different sheep dogs they used to have at home. According to him many dog owners remain true to the chosen breed. But then it starts to splash and slowly raining harder and harder.. This is a great moment for the “sad dog scapes comfort for woollen sound dog” sensescape. Puck starts to cry softly like a puppy, but the sounds of rain and unfolding musical synth sounds offer comfort to Puck and the listener. Benedict is impressed by the quality of the audible and tangible sensescape; it literally immersed him. When it is dry again we continue our walk with exchange of personal memories.
Listen to the sensescapes:
For more information about the project on woollen sound dog Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/sensescapes
The project is followed up by “the woollen sound dog is coming home”.
2023, 2024 Presentations and workshops for “different abled” children: multiple communicative -, deaf and hearing disabled children on special primary schools. More info here>