Radio art for the environment, radio art outside: dissolving the technological footprint of mixed media sound installations.

This paper will consider the ecological and technological implications of making sound based works outside. Considering how the artist can produce multimedia radio and sound works that not only reflect the environment but actively work off grid.

Taking as a starting point 'Tree Radio' (2015) which revealed the hidden facets of organic tree life using simple FM wireless technology. This work addresses issues surrounding how we use radio technology and what are the new uses for 100 year old wireless technology.

This work took forward my research on the future of radio and how to present radio art to a wider public. Working at the intersection between art and technology, it encouraged visitors to think about trees early radio military history and that radio spectrum is the root of all wireless technology and how simple cost effective and green radio it is to use.

Nam June Paik predicted a radical and exciting future for artists and technology, “Someday artists will work with capacitors, resistors and semi-conductors as they work today with brushes, violins and junk.” (1965), something I have been embraced in my sound installations.

'Tree Radio' was completed during an Art for the Environment residency awarded by UAL at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and took forward my PhD research. 'Tree Radio' transformed an oak tree into a micro radio station.