intertidal zone

2020 →  now
ongoing research on shallow waters and their biomes
field recording + analog photography

tidal dwellers
contribution for (and curation of) forms of minutiae’s compilation: possible moistures
[f—o—m - pdf & digital, 2021]

The short soundscape composition tidal dwellers is made of field recordings of sea snails and sea urchins found in tidal pools on the shores of the Corinthian Gulf (Greece). The sound is accompanied by three analog photographs and a note taken on site:





It was a calm morning on the Hellenic shores. The sea was discrete and the waves were shy. As the tide allowed me, I ventured on the outskirts of the waterfront where I rapidly met hundreds of sea urchins, sea snails, and anemones living in the temporary stagnating crystal clear pools created by the lowered waters. I was perched between sea and land, on the rocks of this ambiguous terrain: the intertidal zone. Far from the waves’ action, I wondered if the creatures that appeared motionless before me would care talking to me. Delicately, I plunged a hydrophone below the surface and the underwater concerto began. The zone was never silent. As their image, the one-footed-shelled and black-thorns-sphered invertebrates unveiled a sharp semantic kept secret below the surface. Anchored in the present, I sat there for a while and listened.    

This contribution is part of forms of minutiae’s third release — possible moistures — a non-profit compilation of field recordings and soundscape compositions derived from various aqueous environments and their autochthons. Curated by Pablo Diserens and Mathieu Bonnafous, this gathering is made of 16 sonic encounters collected by artists across the world. They were invited to submit sounds from marine and aquatic-related events, phenomena, geologies, fauna, flora, geographies, and technologies. From the thawing acoustics of Icelandic and Antarctic glaciers to the non-human voices of Australian wetlands, while meeting sea and river dwellers, the listeners embark on a sonic journey across the globe’s possible moistures.

All proceeds from this release will be donated to the organisation Atelier Bleu - Centre Permanent d'Initiatives pour l'Environnement de la Côte Provençale to support them in their aim to conserve and protect Posidonia Oceanica seagrass species and to accompany ecological transitions on the Mediterranean coastal lands of the Côte Provençale (France) by encouraging eco-responsible behaviour through education, training and awareness actions. They especially work closely with the region’s youth to raise their environmental awareness by offering workshops and activities to discover the maritime and terrestrial environments: underwater snorkelling trails, guided walks, etc. — This compilation has been made available to the Atelier Bleu as a resource which they can present to the children as part of their educational workshops.

→ full release + PDF available on Bandcamp

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intertidal zone
3rd prize winner of the 60 secondes radio
short soundscape composition, 2020

This field recordings composition invites the listeners to momentary dive in the intertidal zones’ soundscape. Once submerged, one can discover the sounds of Greek sea urchins and Australian periwinkles. ⁣

⁣ “ “intertidal zone” is a moment of delicious communion with the sea world: what a delicate sensibility towards nature and the flow of living things must have presided over the birth of this piece!” — Zoé Paquin-Gagnon (member of the jury).