Collective Listening [chromatograms & waterways]

Two chromatogram making & collective listening workshops. Facilitated by Sammy Hawker for CWEEP (Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy). Each workshop is open to 12 participants.

Saturday 10th October | 9am-12pm : Dickson Wetlands

Saturday 24th October | 9am-12pm: Uriarra Crossing, Murrumbidgee

Join for either one or both workshops to listen & consider the voices of our local waterways. Each workshop will begin with a Welcome to Country from Ngunawal Custodian Tyronne Bell, followed by facilitated chromatogram making & collective water listening with artist Sammy Hawker. These workshops will explore listening as a form of activism, the sentience of the unseen, and how reciprocal practices provide a foundation for dialogue between participants and water entities.

• Collective artwork making: Chromatography is a photographic process that facilitates the visual expression of material (soil, water, leaves, plants etc.) and can be understood as self-portraits of the animate presences of the natural world. In this process the material sample is ground and mixed with water & sodium hydroxide. Hues and patterns form as the solution spreads over the silver nitrate-soaked paper. Together participants will collectively co-create a chromatogram with a teaspoon of material respectfully gathered from each waterway.

• Shared water listening: is a relational method of water quality monitoring using underwater microphones. It involved the workshop group collectively listening to underwater, surface, and surrounding soundscapes using an array of microphones, field recorders and headphones.
  

Each participant will receive a print of the chromatogram produced from their workshop.

Further details of what to expect & where to meet will be emailed to participants closer to the event.

• Pack: Attendees are asked to bring 2L of water and a packed picnic lunch to share at the end of the workshop. Attendees are also asked to wear suitable sun-safe clothing (sunscreen, long sleeves and a hat) as well as closed footwear.

• Sickness: If the host and/or organiser is sick then the event will be postponed. Participants will have the option to attend a rescheduled workshop.  

• Inclement Weather: Attendees will be advised of event cancellation no later than 5pm on the day prior to the event due to forecast storms or the like. Participants will have the option to attend a rescheduled workshop.  

• Consent: The chromatogram produced from each workshop, and also a soundscape recorded from each workshop, will be incorporated into future visual artworks. This event may also be documented via photo/video. If you are not comfortable with this please let the organisers know.