MELTING LANDSCAPES (Field recordings, 2016-)
Glacier, hydrophones, analogue cameras.
Collective long-term documentation of the rapidly melting Morteratsch glacier in the Swiss alps. Connecting to the glacier’s body with its manifold textures and resonances, finding sonic intimacy.
"Rapid ice melt has been profoundly shaping the alpine region in recent years. It has become an omnipresent and tangible phenomenon, and an iconic symbol of ongoing climate change. Over the past three years, we have been documenting the melting landscapes of the Morteratsch Glacier region, using underwater and self made contact microphones, as well as large- and medium-format analog photography. The sounds of the moving ice mass contrast with the eerie silence of the black and white pictures. The selection of works in this publication turn the evanescent beauty of the glacier into a strong sensory experience; they thus become meaningful witnesses of the rapid changes to come in the alpine landscape." – Christophe Girot, Chair of Landscape Architecture, ETH Zurich
Released as a Vinyl album with photo book, 2018.
Exhibited at "Climate Care" Vienna Biennale for Change 2021 (MAK Vienna), Bauhausfest Dessau 2021, Spazio Materia (Prato, IT), Cima Norma Art Festival 2022, Exhibition "Sichtbare Zeit" at EBP Zürich 2022.
"Best Field Recording & Soundscape Albums of the Decade" (A Closer Listen)
"Amazing, […] a triumph. Melting Landscapes is a success on all levels: concept, execution, presentation and sound. […] The Institute of Landscape Architecture is here to remind us of this potential catastrophe, inviting us to appreciate the value of ecological balance, and to fight for its preservation. […] This release would have been important whenever it appeared, but it’s especially relevant now." (Richard Allen, A Closer Listen)
"This project affirms a link between all things: water and land, man and nature, past and future. On a planet ruled by water, glaciers are now melting into a silent minority. But by bearing witness through the power of art, perhaps projects like Melting Landscapes can break through the noise in our increasingly bi-partisan culture." (Pop Matters) -
Best of 2019, "Astonishing Release" (SoundOhm) - "Best Records of 2018" (Volume Morto) - "Records of the year 2018" (Canti Illuminati) - "Top 2018 Albums" (Ousadia & Descobertas) - "Top 20 Albums of the Year", "Top Ten Field Recordings & Soundscape", "Best Winter Album of the Year" and "Best Packaging of the Year" 2018 – A Closer Listen - "A release that crosses the boundaries of science, sound art and education on geomorphology and climate change." (Geosounds)
In-depth article at Pop Matters
Interview Greenpeace magazine german and french.
Radio feature at ARD (german)
A collective project of researchers and students at the Chair of Landscape Architecture Christophe Girot, ETH Zurich.
Concept and teaching team: Ludwig Berger, Dennis Häusler, Johannes Rebsamen, Matthias Vollmer
Composition, mixing and recording assistance: Ludwig Berger
Sound Mastering Assistance: Stéphane Claude
Participating Students: Christina Akesson, Michael Beerli, Shalin Bhatt, Philipp Bosshart, Lloyd Broda, Altair Cerda Tirado, Weilun Chen, Jenyben Dave, Devashree Dvivedi, Camino Escosa García, Nadia Gaiarin, Masahiro Gokita, Andrea Gonzalez Palos, Camilla Gormsen, Benjamin Graber, Dennis Häusler, Yufei He, Anna Hermann, James Horkulak, Marie Jacobsen, Seonju Kim, Aleksander Kongshaug, Bess Laaring, Jungwoo Lee, Xijie Ma, Viktoriya Maleva, Stephan Mauser, Marc Over, Vasiliki Papadimitriou, Bhoomi Parmar, Shailaja Patel, Thalia Poziou, Timon Ritscher, Laura Schütz, Dhruvil Soni, Jean-Marc Stadelmann, Dharal Surelia, Tulsi Vadalia, Oliver Walter, Jan Westerheide, Sonja Widmer
Winter excursion during snowstorm, 2016
Students recording with self-made underwater microphones, 2016
Summer recording with Student Seonju Kim, 2017
Listener in the audiovisual installation in the Main hall of ETH Zurich, 2018
Sound shower installation (right) as part of "Climate Care", Vienna Biennale for Change 2021, MAK Vienna, 2021. Photo by Klearjos Papanicolaou
Solo live set at Spazio Materia, Prato, Italy. Photo by Francesca Lenzi
Live set with Chuchchepati Orchestra (Dieb 13, Julian Sartorius, Patrik Kessler) at Alpentöne Festival. Photo by Alpentöne
TV Report at Deutsche Welle, ZDF 2021.