Last updated at 12:57, Monday, 06 June 2011

LAKES Alive’s most ambitious art project to got under way on Friday 3 June at Birkrigg Common.

Title
Author
Copyright

Description

The Ulverston beauty spot was transformed with the installation of 500 wind-powered instruments, including metal and wood cellos, strings, flutes, Balinese scarecrows, sirens, gongs, harps and bamboo organs.

Harmonic Fields is a huge project by French arts company Lieux Publics, and it made its UK debut at Birkrigg.

The public were free to wander among the instruments and interact with the Aeolian as the wind blows through them creating a beautiful and changing aural and visual spectacle.

The sonic experience will vary depending on the strength and direction of the wind.

Artistic director Pierre Sauvageot says: “It is different when the wind is strong to when there is no wind.

“When it is calm, you are hearing the landscape.

“I think people need to have a new relationship with the landscape, and artists are leading the way.

“We are like the pilot fish who then get eaten up by the big sharks.”

On Monday 30 May, Pierre and 10 French workers arrived to construct Harmonic Fields.

It was the biggest art installation in South Cumbria as part of the Lakes Alive programme, which will also see Zircus Plus visit Barrow once again later in the year.

Pierre says: “I found out about Lakes Alive through Manchester Arts International and meeting with the organisers.

“It is really great what they are doing, especially in an area like this away from the cities.

“I think the audience here will want something like this, and people from urban areas will also want to travel to see landscape art instead of always staying in the city.

“Artistic projects should not be to attract tourists, because they are not really artistic.

“It should be the vision of the artist, and that will make people think.

“I want people to listen to the sounds of the wind and the sound of the landscape.”

First published at 13:08, Thursday, 02 June 2011
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk