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Long abstract:

The Lights Which Can Be Heard is an artistic research project on the sounds of the Northern Lights, long witnessed by various indigenous communities in the Arctic. Despite the numerous testimonies, the Western scientific community denied their existence for decades until some hypotheses about their origin began to surface in the 1950s, which are still subject to debate today.

Among the different theories, some think that the observer/listener can perceive in their environment the natural VLF (Very Low Frequency) radio waves produced by the Northern Lights. Some natural elements, such as minerals or crystals, would act as receivers and transform the electromagnetic radio waves into the audible, acoustic spectrum.

Without rejecting any of them, this is the one that caught my attention for this project. Despite successful recordings following a three-week residency in Andøya, Norway, I realised that the VLF waves emitted by the Northern Lights are becoming increasingly difficult to perceive due to anthropocentric activity. Drowned by artificial signals, these natural radio waves are bound to disappear from our perception.

Inspired by this unique context and in continuity with my previous work, I approached this ongoing debate from different angles: indigenous, poetic and scientific, giving voice to each stakeholder while incorporating my vision.

The result is four interconnected works at the intersection of visual and sound arts, technology, science and ethnography, which allow the audience to perceive the sounds of the Northern Lights while preserving them in the light.