Disquieting Frequencies

As part of The Glenkeen Variations exhibition and event series

Exhibition Opening: 07 March 2024, 6pm
with concert by Marcus Maeder at 7pm

Artist, researcher and composer Moritz Fehr presents his captivating video piece,‘Plant Stress (SPF 50)'. It navigates the concept of Plant Stress — a term borrowed from scientific discourse, denoting unfavourable conditions or the impact of substances that disrupt the metabolism and growth of plants. The culprit in this instance is excessive UV radiation, a prevalent factor in environmental pollution. Filmed exclusively in the ultraviolet light spectrum, Fehr’s work shows the act of applying SPF 50 sunscreen to various plants, thus creating a peculiar shield against the relentless impact of UV rays on the flora. This encounter creates a nuanced narrative around the implications of human influence on the natural world. At the Working Artist Studios in Ballydehob, Fehr presents a stereoscopic video installation entitled "Foreshore Act (Landscape Study)". It considers the use and privatization of the tidal coast in Ireland and is composed of infrared images and spatial sound recordings he created during the residency.

Setting his attention on the sonic, artist, researcher and electronic music composer Marcus Maeder presents a glimpse into his extensive project "Imeall an Chosta", “coastline” in Irish, which he developed in Glenkeen over the past two years. The project undertakes a dual scientific and artistic exploration of climatic changes along the Roaringwater Bay. Focusing on the impact of a changing climate on aquatic and terrestrial fauna, with particular emphasis on biodiversity, the study listens in on the intricate relationships shaped by microclimatic conditions and exposures in local communities within the context of shore ecology. Employing acoustic methods, automatic audio recorders and sensors strategically placed in transition zones from water to land capture the local soundscape at intervals, providing insights into the temporal and spatial dynamics of biodiversity and the weakening of the Gulf Stream (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation). This ecoacoustic investigation provides new ways of understanding the changes occurring all around us. All recordings and data collected are accessible online. As part of the exhibition opening on 7 March 2024, Maeder will perform a concert at 7pm at the Goethe-Institut's library.

In his concert, Marcus Maeder interweaves field recordings of the Roaringwater Bay from his research project "Imeall an chosta" with sound fragments and passages from his latest release,“Drifts". The result is a multi-layered, sonic burrow that brings natural sounds from the sea and land together with synthetic sounds into a harmonic polyphony. Both Fehr and Maeder enter Glenkeen Garden through paths unseen. By directing their focus toward wavelengths imperceptible to the naked eye, the artists expand our spectrum of perception, exposing underlying currents that course through our surrounding environment.

Moritz Fehr
Moritz Fehr (b. 1981) is a Berlin-based artist, researcher, and composer exploring intersections of objectivity and emotion, technology and nature, and psychological aspects of hearing and seeing. His works, encompassing sound and moving images, are often site-specific installations or environments. Fehr studied at the Bauhaus University Weimar and the Tokyo National University of the Arts. Also in Weimar, he completed a PhD in Fine Arts. His projects have been showcased globally, including venues like the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston) and Kunstverein Hildesheim.

Marcus Maeder
Marcus Maeder (b. 1971) is a Berlin-based artist, researcher, and composer focusing on electronic music. He holds degrees in Fine Arts, Philosophy, and a PhD in Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zürich. Since 2005, he‘s been a researcher at the Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) at Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK. In his research, Maeder is working on ecoacoustic investigations of areas, communities and organisms under the influence of climate change and other environmental issues.

The exhibition and event series is curated by Ben Livne Weitzman.

Exhibition Programme (PDF, 4 MB)

Gallery Opening Hours
Monday - Thursday  10:00am – 9:00pm
Friday                       10:00am – 5.00pm
Saturday                   10:00am – 3:00pm
Closed on Sundays, Bank Holidays and Saturday before Easter

Please note that due to the protected structure of the Georgian building the exhibition is only partially wheelchair accessible.

Presented by the Crespo Foundation and the Goethe-Institut Irland as part of the exhibition and event series The Glenkeen Variations.