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Zoe Walker Celestial Radio

A cross-institutional research project withNeil Bromwich of Newcastle University

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Zoe Walker Celestial Radio Outline Description

A Radio Station on a ‘glittering’ mirror tiled yacht broadcasting site-specific sound works in Thessaloniki, Isle of Skye, Folkestone, Margate, Whitstable, London, Jerusalem and Sydney. The aim of Celestial Radio was to extend the parameters of public art specifically in its effectiveness to shift perceptions of place by evoking a duality of existence between our, physical surroundings and the non-physical world of visionary thinking, explored through the human geography of place.

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Zoe Walker Celestial RadioOriginality

Celestial Radio is an overarching project that examined the significance of public art as an agent for change, challenging preconceptions of place.

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Zoe Walker Celestial Radio Process

Celestial Radio is a public sculpture: a 20 foot yacht covered in 50,000-inch square mirror tiles reflecting light off its surface. From the yacht a radio station broadcasts a site-specific sound work that reflects on the local environment. Audiences are invited to enter into an immersive ‘cinematic’ experience. Wearing FM radio headsets they walk specific coastal paths and listen to the site specific sound works - while absorbing the optical play of the Celeste as she sails, fragmenting and transmitting light and sound. Through this experience audiences are able to listen to the issues and ideas discussed within the sound work while allowing there imagination to drift and absorb as they look out to sea at the mirage like effect of the Celeste as light splinters of her surface. The play between these experiences is key to shifting audience’s perception of their physical space.

Broadcast site specific works

March 2012 - Celestial Radio – Phosphorescence Song, commission for Positioning Systems Museum of Contemporary Art, Sustralia, Sydney Sept 2011 - Celestial Radio - Celestial Skye, ATLAS, Portree, Isle of SkyeMay 2011 – The Voice of Peace Revisited, Musrara International Arts Festival, Musrara, Jerusalem, IsraelMay 2009 - Breakfast of Champions, with Resonance FM, Broadway Market, LondonJune 2009 - A Celestial Odyssey, Biennale Commission Thessaloniki Biennale GreeceJune – Aug 2008 - A Visionary Journey, Kent Tour to Whitstable Biennale, Turner Contemporary Margate, Folkestone Triennial.

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Zoe Walker Celestial Radio Rigour

Celestial Radio is an ambitious cross-disciplinary research project that extends my research practice within the area of socially engaged fine art practice . The project aims to create a multi media immersive art work that extends out beyond the gallery walls to intervene in the fabric of society, drawing on the specificity of site and context as key to re-examining the environments we inhabit, while inviting audiences to envisage alternative ways of addressing future existence. The projects core objective is to shift perceptions of place by inviting public participation in this expansive artwork that will re-imagine the physical landscape it inhabits. .

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Zoe Walker Celestial Radio Significance

The aim of the Celestial Radio is a research project whose implications, methods, and ends, go far beyond the realms of academia.

Celestial Radio projects were commissioned by invitation from directors of the following institutions Turner Contemporary Margate, Atlas Arts Skye and Musrara Festival Jerusalem and Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art. Projects have been funded by Arts Council England, Greek State Museum of Contemporary Art, The Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Folkestone Triennial, British Council, European Cultural Foundation, Creative Scotland The project has been contextualised and discussed in key international peer reviewed journals: Laura McLean-Ferris (Art Review Oct 08). By Gabriela Salgado, Curator of Public Programmes Tate Modern (Biennale:2 Catalogue; ISBN: 9789609409001). Walker & Bromwich Monograph (John Hansard Gallery, ISBN 9780854328642) Essays By JJ Charlesworth, Sally O’Reilly. Public discussion was initiated through media coverage including Times, Guardian, BBC .

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Zoe Walker Celestial Radio References

http://www.mca.com.au/events/celestial-radio/

http://www.turnercontemporary.org/exhibitions/celestial-radio-on-the-threshold-of-a-dream

http://www.artreview.com/profiles/blogs/artist-in-residence-zoe-walker

http://biennale2.thessalonikibiennale.gr/artistdtl.php?lang=en&art_id=430&byear=2009

http://resonancefm.com/archives/1524

http://www.rhiz.eu/institution-66730-en.html