PULSE – Andrew Williams
PULSE an audio installation documenting and exploring the river Derwent (Derbyshire, UK) and its heritage. Resonating with the ancient pulse of the river, and the first ever factories, (the Derwent Valley is seen by many as the birth place of the industrial revolution) – it weaves together the past and present journey from its source to its confluence with the River Trent in Derby. Comprising audio recordings of the river, its industrial heritage and its wildlife made by Andrew over the past 20 years PULSE presents an intriguing and sometimes disturbing audio narrative.
This 4 channel version has been reworked and re-composed using material developed for a recent installation at the LEVEL Centre. As a part of his role as Artist in Residence at LEVEL, Andrew created a multi media installation and performance forming a contribution to DERWENT PULSE – a large scale environmental light
installation by artist Charles Monkhouse.
This was Derbyshire’s longest ever artwork, flowing the entire length of the river, comprising hundreds of lights controlled by small circuit boards. Each light was contained in a plastic sphere holding a miniature computer, GPS module, and radio transmitter and receiver, allowing the lights to respond to the landscape they passed through.
The original installation by Andrew at the LEVEL Centre used 12 digital video screens – 4 synchronised to 5 pre programmed spheres (provided by Charles Monkhouse) together with sound diffused through 8 audio channels. The spheres were used within a physical performance during which performers transported them through the building and into the river. Programmed to pulse using blue LED lights the spheres slowly morphed to form a red pulse every two seconds. At this point the video screens, audio and spheres syncronised, coming together to create a unified PULSE marking the passage of time and awaiting the future.
The PULSE audio installation follows a similar structure, developing the idea of the rivers history to question the future it may witness.
Andrew Williams– composer, multimedia artist, and director working in time based art and live performance since 1987. His work has a broad output including installations, sound art, music, dance & physical theatre productions, performance art, film and broadcast media. He also regularly creates work in collaboration with artists, scientists, performers, engineers and people interested in developing ideas. He is currently Artist in Residence at the LEVEL Centre having recently been awarded a Leverhulme fellowship as Artist in Residence at the Space Research Centre, University of Leicester. Andrew is also the current Artistic Director of Random Line creating ground breaking performances with learning disabled people.
The LEVEL Centre is a contemporary arts centre for adults with a learning disability, artists and creative people – developing creating and promoting and artistic culture with and for extraordinary people.
