this 21-minute long sound work is a forest tale about war, re-imagined from the perspective of the land that witnessed centuries of socio-cultural turmoil. tamed nature versus wilderness, contaminated versus protected land, the Iron Curtain belt saw some significant changes —— from being a brutal barrier between East and West strewn with mine fields, to becoming a highly protected European natural heritage.
the somewhat tense, suffocating and dark-sounding atmosphere of this piece reflects my feelings on possible relations between former and present conflicts, and alludes to the harsh consequences necro-politics of the past are imposing on contemporary society.
the stunning forest microbiome researched in this work is now part of the European Green Belt, formerly the Iron Curtain borderlands between Austria and Czech Republic.
released September 14, 2023
sounds gathered during SHAPE+ musikprotokoll residency, July 2023, kindly hosted by Kulturzentrum —— Garage Druzba, Harrachstal.
hydrophone built by Jez riley French
mastering La Plant Studio