In 2016, I created an artwork called ‘Moment’, for Nightfall – an event that took place in Centre Square, Middlesbrough. The event brought together artworks and performances based on the wonders of the night sky. I received a bursary to create and install work inside a stargazing tent from Nightfall’s organisers Navigator North and Stellar Projects.
My work took the form of a light and sound installation inspired by the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). Over the past few years, the Northern Lights have been associated with certain intriguing sounds. Sounds like crackling, popping, and the dawn choruses of birds, have been recorded by viewers and scientists, generating numerous theories. I decided to respond to this by recording my own version of similar sounds. This resulted in a sound piece, which accompanied the slowly shifting colours of the installation inside the tent.
Visitors could choose to experience the installation by spending a moment in the tent and viewing the work above. Many visitors spoke to me about their wish to see the Lights once in their lifetime. Some of them even shared their experiences and attempts to see them in places such as Alaska and Iceland. One of the moments that stood out for me was when a small girl ran into the tent. Looking up, she commented “I think it’s about surviving…” and in a way, isn’t everything?
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