Duration 30′ –
Resoundscapes is a direct response to Iceland’s living landscape. Having created previous films and installations inspired by the natural world, I found that this land offered an entirely fresh perspective on the nature of the earth itself. In summer, when the snow and ice retreat, the terrain feels intensely alive, thriving, shifting, and resonant. What struck me most was the constant geological energy: exploring Iceland feels like traversing a thin crust over a bubbling cauldron, always on the verge of breaking open and remaking everything.
The volcanic forces beneath the surface generate a continuous heat that rises as steam and smoke, giving the land an atmosphere of beautiful uncertainty, an ever-changing environment in perpetual flux. Sound and movement are everywhere, subtle and immense at once. The rhythms of this motion become hypnotic, forming a natural pulse that seems to echo through every valley and plain.
On such a vast scale, even the waterfalls feel monumental, each one entirely distinct yet equally awe-inspiring. Beyond the well-known landmarks, Iceland is filled with quieter, lesser-known places—pockets of unexpected magic.
The intention behind Resoundscapes was to create a film that captures this pulse: a sensory portrait that reflects the experience of being there as accurately and immersively as possible. The imagery is vivid and luminous, shaped by summer’s extended daylight, with sunrise and sunset lasting for hours and the world seeming caught in an endless magic hour.
Sound was the film’s original entry point, born of a field-recording journey. It was essential that the audio reveal the subtle layers of each location, from the micro-textures within a waterfall to the deeper vibrations of the land itself. Without narration, the film invites viewers to simply listen, look, and feel the resonant energy of a landscape in constant motion. The intention was to develop the immersive potential of the cinema screen by using the full capabilities of the audio track, and the work was designed for installation in an empty auditorium, using in situ projection facilities.
The fieldwork for this film utilised UHD Ursa Mini Pro footage and spaced DPA4060 omni microphones; technical details are covered in this interview for A Sound Effect by Anne-Sophie Mongeau (https://www.asoundeffect.com/immersive-field-recording/).
Additional audio files generously shared by Chris Watson, Bethan Kellough and Ben Minto.
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