Post-Natural Pastorale

2022 Brian House + Sue Huang Double bass, municipal and public data, network Variable dimensions Post-Natural Pastorale is a sound/video installation that explores the relationship between human and environmental temporalities in a time of climate crisis. The project takes as its starting point New York City’s Freshkills, once known as Fresh Kills Landfill, the largest municipal dump in the world. Currently in the process of a decades-long transformation into a public park, Freshkills is a uniquely liminal space, where our long-term effects on the Earth are palpable. The installation emerges from the multitemporal dynamics of this environment—the thousand-year decay of a Styrofoam cup, the multigenerational use of the land by humans, the seasonal cycle of the regenerating vegetation, and the gathering of clouds. Each of these temporal layers is translated into musical notation using municipal and public data, including statistical projections of weather patterns and methane and leachate emissions data from the Department of Sanitation. The resulting eight scores are played by double bassist Robert Black (Bang on a Can All-Stars). When heard simultaneously, these performances create a soundscape of data that coalesces multiple temporalities into one immersive experience. Supported by The Robert Black Foundation and the Scholarship Facilitation Fund (UConn Office of the Vice President for Research). Selected by Creative Capital On Our Radar 2020. Commission Freshkills Park Alliance, Staten Island, NY Performer Robert Black Producer Mariel Villeré Co-Producer David Feinberg Animation Alexander Dupuis Director of Photography Paul Shin