Norm contaminated

Originality
Norm Contaminated is part of a series of artists’ projects, curatorial interventions, and transdisciplinary research Test Sites: Poole which is curated and produced by Arts Catalyst and it is the result of a field work taken place the 22nd of February 2018 around the Perenco Oil Farm, Poole, Dorset. The commission for the exhibition and co-inquiry aimed to respond to the issue to involve the local community to respond collectively to social and environmental challenges in the local area of the Poole harbour. This piece is part of a project called Test Sites, a longitudinal environmental project with a range of partner institutions (The Forestry Commission, The National Trust, and Canals and Rivers Trust). The long-term goal is to engage the public in a discussion of ethical and social implications of environmental politics, and to address key issues of sustainability for agencies and local socially engaged groups, clubs and societies.

Rigor
The work has been produced in two phases. A fieldwork with sound recording in the area of the Perenco Oil Farm at the Poole Harbour has happened in parallel with gathering documentation of the area affected by the presence of the oil farm. Birdsongs were recorded in different areas around the farm. Machinery sounds produced by the farm itself were collected too. The second phase of postproduction considered the sound as a media both for a narrative through sound and an experiential journey.

Significance
Norm contaminated is a sound piece commissioned by Arts Catalyst for the Exhibition “Brownsea: an imaginary island (an island of the imaginary)” 22/03/2018 to 12/05/2018 - Arts Catalyst, 74-76 Cromer Street, King's Cross, London.