SID SMITH
For the North Atlantic Islands Residency, I propose a project that explores seafaring birds and the effects of wind on their migration. This will continue the project I started during my residency in Norway, examining how atmospheric forces shape the movement of birds across vast oceanic distances. Using the residency’s prompt, ‘To know the world we live’, as a foundation, I aim to
develop a body of work that responds to the rhythms, textures, and histories encountered at sea.
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Core Elements of the Project:
1. Research & Observation: I will study seafaring birds encountered along the journey, documenting their behaviours and interactions with shifting weather conditions. This research will inform both visual and sonic works.
2. Light and Sound as Navigational Tools: I will investigate how birds and humans use light and sound for navigation at sea. By studying lighthouses, bioluminescence, echolocation, and the calls of seabirds, I will explore how these elements contribute to way-finding and survival in unpredictable environments.
3. Maritime Myth & Superstition: I will explore historical and regional seafaring myths, superstitions, and rituals, considering their relationship to faith in natural cycles and the ability to adapt to changing conditions. This will manifest through written and performative elements woven into the project.
To know the world we live in is to navigate its uncertainties; both natural and cultural. Through this project, I seek to explore how wind and migration connect landscapes, histories, and mythologies. By immersing myself in the experience of life at sea, I aim to create work that speaks to both the fragility and resilience of movement across shifting environments.
This residency offers a rare opportunity to work within a truly elemental environment; one that demands adaptability, attentiveness, and a willingness to embrace unpredictability. As an artist drawn to these very themes, I see this as an ideal context to further explore material-driven storytelling and deepen my engagement with the forces that shape human and non-human experiences.
I look forward to the collaborative exchange on board and the chance to contribute to a collective reflection on our evolving relationship with the sea.