‘…to hear is the physical means that enables perception. To listen is to give attention to what is perceived both acoustically and psychologically.’ (Oliveros 2005)
The global ecological problem we face is as much about the quality and intention of our storytelling as it is about the range of practical solutions at our disposal. Rich, multimodal storytelling that privileges audio and immerses the viewer could assist us in comprehending the scale of what could be lost if we don’t understand and protect ecosystems. ‘Weird Fishes’ proves that science journalism need not be visual - it is often more effective (both as a storytelling tool and a method of data collection) when it is heavily reliant on the aural. If bioacoustics is as promising a field as Kraus and Soars attest - then we will likely see many more examples of visuals privileging or indeed being eclipsed by audio in the science and storytelling of the not too distant future.
The design methodology of ‘Weird Fishes’ works to counter the estrangement from the natural world we experience via media which is rapid, exclusively visual, polarising and disinterested in contemplation or and subtlety. Weird Fishes also posits Deep Listening or Dadirri as a legitimate aid to conservation efforts, a practice through which we can better sustain ourselves and understand ecology. There is value in shutting up and listening, as the scale of ecological decay we face is often astonishing beyond words. Weird Fishes engagement with Deep Listening through motion and radio presents legitimate ways to connect personally with ecology, fostering a sense of place, of ‘bioregionalism’ - an understanding of local environments through attentive listening and contemplation.
Sometimes literary or visual descriptions fall short - and our reliance on them reduces our ability to understand how to live in entangled, sustainable ways. ‘Can we hypothesise the connection between the expansion of the infosphere…and the crumbling of the sensory membrane that allows human beings to understand that which cannot be verbalized, that which cannot be reduced to codified signs?’ (Berardi 2011) The process of developing Weird Fishes has taught me that my design practice expands beyond the visual, and can be employed to curate these moments of sensory connection.
sonic science journalism in the face of climate change
radio, motion and a sense of place
Conservationists, faced with unprecedented levels of species extinction and habitat destruction (IPBES 2019) are looking for different ways to engage audiences with the task at hand - and works such as ‘Weird Fishes’ and ‘Radio With Pictures’ (Radio With Pictures 2012) offer such alternatives. Future creation or uses for similar projects within Australia is promising - podcasts are rapidly gaining popularity and concern about climate change now occupies significant territory in our cultural consciousness. Partnering with producers of audio content and bridging the gap between them and more popular, highly visual media platforms could be a meaningful way of developing this design practice further, following in the footsteps of intimate, moving audio-visual works such as ‘Radio With Pictures.’ Nature podcasts the likes of ‘The Water People Podcast’ (Hill 2019) or ‘Off Track’ (Off Track 2015) may benefit from visual interpretations, or snapshots of their content - which capture audience attention and direct it to primarily sonic narratives.
Given Australia’s shocking extinction record (Australian Conservation Foundation 2019) rich audio-visual stories centring on particular species (eg. ‘Weird Fishes’ sea urchins) present intimate means of introducing audiences to critters, revealing networks of human and non-human entities and motivating action on environmental damage. The practice of birdwatching Odell details in ‘How To Do Nothing’ is similar to the practice of urchin watching I engage in while researching and designing ‘Weird Fishes’ in that it ‘changes the granularity of your perception’ (Odell 2017) of an underestimated, oft-overlooked critter. By building on Off Tracks practice of telling uniquely Australian stories via our local ecosystems, Weird Fishes is aiding conservation by encouraging bioregionalism - a deeper engagement with the needs and workings of our immediate environment.
‘Bioregionalism can restore a sense of ‘placefulness’ a kind of difference without boundary….’ (Odell 2019) notes Odell. Similarly, a close sonic, scientific and narrative study of sea urchins reveals ways we might better manage the myriad marine ecosystems of Sydney Harbour and its surrounding coastline. Sea urchins are part of my local ecosystem (I have eaten them, been injured by them and observed them since I was a kid), so the design process of Weird Fishes morphed into a personal opportunity to better understand elements of ecology I had previously taken for granted.
Sea urchins may seem like humble critters, but similar to Anna Tsing’s Matsutake Mushroom (Tsing 2015), they offer deep insights into environmental management. A design practice of close observation of the material and behaviour of small critters leads to narrative-driven works that are as enriching for audiences to experience as they are rewarding for designers to create.
