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Wild Energies: Celebrating the life and work of Annea Lockwood

Profile of Annea Lockwood
  • Written byCreative Research in Sound Arts Practice (CRiSAP)
  • Published date 15 November 2024
Profile of Annea Lockwood
Annea Lockwood, sound artist, UAL

To celebrate CRiSAP’s connection with inspiring sound artist Annea Lockwood, we’re throwing a spotlight on Wild Energies – our landmark event on the impact of her work.

Wild Energies (27-29 April 2022) saw more than 40 international artists, scholars and CRiSAP researchers take part in an online symposium and set of creative workshops.

They shared research and artistic responses to Lockwood's work with themes including:

  • rivers and tributaries
  • ecologies and entanglements
  • voice and intimacy
  • collaboration and care
  • methods and materials.

Lockwood also spoke in conversation with composer, fellow artist and friend Hildegard Westerkamp, while attendees tuned in from across the globe to listen.

See the work from Wild Energies: Live Materials on Vimeo.

Learn more about Wild Energies and participants in the programme.

Annea's influence on a listening workshop

Components for making and listening sounds in the field on top of wild grass.
Materials for conducting a workshop in the field, UAL | Photography: Aio Frei

Inspired by Lockwood's work, a listening workshop encouraged slow, focused listening as a shared experience. The session explored Lockwood’s concept of “listening with” in relation to past and present contemporaries.

If you were going to go out with your recorder, with your microphone right now, what would you be listening to, looking for, or listening out for?

— Annea Lockwood

Online exhibition celebrating Annea's work

Piano sinking in a swamp.
Piano drowning | Dominic Chennell

The pioneering online exhibition for Wild Energies united artistic responses to Annea Lockwood’s work. They ranged from audio walks in Mesopotamian marshlands to drowning pianos.

The performance of Annea’s piano drowning in a rural pond provides an impetus for further future artistic activity at Plas Bodfa for many years. The commission will occur annually to focus and stimulate more artistic programming.

It’s not so much about what we listen to. It’s more about what is our relationship as listeners to a day in our lives or to a moment and are we conscious of how we’re listening.

— Annea Lockwood

Collaborating with CRiSAP

Screenshot from the online conversation between Annea Lockwood and Hildegard Westerkamp
Annea Lockwood in a conversation with Hildegard Westerkamp, UAL

It is clear from the reach of Wild Energies that Lockwood’s work continues to have a profound impact on sound arts and research today. CRiSAP looks forward to continuing our collaboration and connection.

Lockwood has influenced CRiSAP’s research theme sound and environment for over 2 decades. Her groundbreaking work has been a central reference for many CRiSAP researchers and students.

Lockwood has joined many CRiSAP events over the years including:

Lockwood is probably best known for the Sound Map works including Hudson (1989), Danube (2005) and the Housatonic (2012) rivers. The Piano Transplants series showcases her intricate relationship with the piano and nature. Works in the series: Piano Burning (1968), Piano Garden (1970), Southern Exposure (1982).

Wild Energies: Live Materials is part of Unearthed: A Festival of Listening and Environment, an ongoing event series which explores how sound and listening practices can reshape our connections with the world. It extends from the Sound::Gender::Feminism::Activism (SGFA) initiative.