Artist's river plan unveiled (From Tivyside Advertiser)

Artist's river plan unveiled

10:14am Tuesday 16th October 2007

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LANGUAGE and light form the centrepiece of an innovative £500,000 art installation to be created on the River Teifi at Cardigan.

The work is being developed by internationally acclaimed artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer as part of Channel 4's Big Art Project.

Both locals and arts chiefs from across Wales enthusiastically welcomed his ideas when he presented them in the town at a special preview yesterday (Monday).

Explaining his work, called Turbulence', Rafael told them: "This is an interactive installation consisting of a cluster of buoys illuminated by the voices of passers-by. The 127 buoys float in the river and contain a loudspeaker, LED light source and a sensor that detects movement in the water.

"A number of microphones placed at various locations around the quay side will record people's voices and automatically convert them into blinking lights within the buoys. The stored voices stay quietly in the buoys until the river's periodic turbulence - caused by the constant ebb and flow of the river Teifi - activates the buoys to release' the stored sounds, which can be heard clearly from the shore. A website will likewise allow people from all over the world to add their voices to the project."

Rafael said he had been inspired by the oral history of the area, especially the traditions of poetry and song and he hoped that Welsh poets might be the first to put their voices into the piece. The launch will be part of a national TV broadcast on Channel4.

"The piece is intended as a reflection on Welsh oral traditions, poetry and song, creating a playful participative platform that is activated by the natural cycles of tides," he explained.

The idea was received enthusiastically by the audience.

"This is a glorious opportunity to bring something brilliant to Cardigan. It's the best thing that could happen," said Harry James, chairman of Public Art Wales.

Teifi mooring master Paul Oakley, who is involved already in offering technical advice about the river, said: "This is a very exciting project, a brilliant idea and it's fantastic to use the river in this way."

After the presentation, Rafael said: "The initial reaction to the Turbulence proposal was incredibly supportive and the enthusiasm in the room was great to see. I look forward now to working with a number of individuals and experts in the town and beyond to make the theoretical become the practical. This is a very exciting project for me and hopefully for the town and Wales."

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