Whales sing haunting and moving songs that resonate through their oceanic homes, imbuing their world with meaning. Similarly, we humans rely on stirring sounds and music to find purpose in our existence.
Lost Whale Song : Noise Pollution's Disruption of Marine Soundscapes | Shuwen Yang and Ayane Tominaga
In recent years, following the pandemic, I’ve been deeply reflecting on the relationship between humans and non-humans and how our current consumerist lifestyle impacts the natural world. Despite humanity wielding unprecedented scientific knowledge and tools to shape new social ecologies, we have yet to fully realise this potential.
Shuwen Yang’s project delves into the world of marine soundscapes and their profound influence on ocean life. As a researcher, Shuwen has devoted herself to uncovering how human-generated sounds disrupt the delicate communication systems of sea creatures. Inspired by Bernie Kraus’s classification of the natural world into geophony, biophony, and anthrophony, Shuwen’s work sheds light on the crucial role of sound in the marine environment. This exploration gains significance as we confront the consequences of our actions on marine life, particularly in the profound darkness of the deep sea where sound serves as a vital lifeline amidst the abyss.
This research project, led by Shuwen in collaboration with Ayane Tominaga, deeply affected me emotionally and inspired me to open a dialogue and dive into their ideas and inspiration.
Shuwen, thank you for joining us to discuss your graduation project. Could you start by giving us an overview of your project and its main focus?
Shuwen Yang: This project explores the intricate relationship between humans and whales, with a particular focus on the impact of noise pollution on whale communication. It highlights the profound connection between humans and non-humans and the painful consequences of human activity on these soulful creatures. Whales sing haunting and moving songs that resonate through their oceanic homes, imbuing their world with meaning. Similarly, we humans rely on stirring sounds and music to find purpose in our existence.
The relentless pursuit of resources gradually silences the whales, causing their songs to fade away. We must bridge the gap between the human and non-human worlds, fostering empathy and awareness of our shared existence. This interactive experience serves as a mediator, invoking empathy between species through sensory engagement. The project emphasises our deep connection to nature, reminding us that our actions directly impact the whales, their environment, and the preservation of their haunting melodies.
What drew you to this topic, and why do you think it’s important to address it?
Shuwen Yang: As a creative professional with a background in art and design, I have always believed that the essence of creation lies in having insightful eyes and a sensitive, compassionate heart. This belief has driven me to explore environmental topics through design, with the goal of inspiring empathy and raising awareness.
A BBC News article that I came across in early 2023 inspired and motivated me to explore the research and topics that form the basis of my graduation project for the Masters in Material Futures program at Central Saint Martins. The report highlighted the positive effects of reduced human noise pollution on marine ecosystems during the pandemic lockdown. This sparked my interest in delving into the issue of marine noise pollution through design.
Many people’s perception of the ocean is distant and vague. We often take for granted the resources and convenience it provides without understanding the devastating consequences of our actions.
Oceanic noise pollution significantly threatens marine life, disrupting their communication, navigation, and reproduction. My project aims to address this critical issue by using design to foster empathy and raise awareness. By designing an interactive experience with a reactive model, I can vividly demonstrate the direct impact of human noise pollution on marine soundscapes. Through this experience, I hope to encourage people to reflect on their actions and impact on the oceanic environment.
You mention Bernie Kraus’s concepts of geophony, biophony, and anthrophony. Can you elaborate on how these ideas influenced your project?
Shuwen Yang: My collaborator Ayane shared a TED talk by Bernie Kraus that profoundly influenced my project. Kraus’s concepts of geophony, biophony, and anthrophony provided a framework for understanding the intricate connections between all things on Earth, mediated through sound.
Geophony, the natural sounds of the Earth, forms the foundation of our planet’s soundscape.
Biophony, the vocalisations of living organisms, adds a rich layer of diversity and complexity.
Anthrophony, the sounds produced by humans, has become an increasingly dominant force, often disrupting and overwhelming the natural soundscapes.
Kraus’s insights into the interconnectedness of sound and life resonated deeply with our project’s goals. We sought to create an immersive experience that would transport visitors into the underwater world, allowing them to hear the delicate balance of biophony and geophony, and to feel the impact of human noise pollution on this fragile ecosystem. By incorporating Kraus’s concepts, we aimed to draw attention to the importance of protecting the marine soundscape. We hope that our project will encourage people to consider their own impact on the environment and make conscious choices that promote a more harmonious relationship between humans and the natural world.
What kind of methods or technologies did you use in your research to study the effects of human-produced sounds on marine life?
Shuwen Yang: In this project, I delved into the extensive research on the impact of human-generated noise on marine life. However, my primary goal wasn’t to conduct scientific research or find solutions. Instead, inspired by Dr. Roger Payne’s pioneering work with whale songs, I partnered with Ocean Alliance to have access to their amazing archive of whale songs, a pivotal support for my work and the experience I envision. By utilizing marine soundscapes and simulating the disruptive effects of human noise pollution, I sought to inspire reflection on our relationship with the ocean.
The captivating beauty and emotional power of whale songs, as evidenced by Dr. Payne’s influential album “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” served as a guiding principle. Through interactive experiences that showcase these sounds, I aimed to foster a deeper connection between humans and the marine world, ultimately raising awareness about the urgent issue of noise pollution.
Your project mentions the ‘I-it relationship’ between humans and non-humans. Could you explain what this means and how it applies to your findings?
Shuwen Yang: In this project, Ayane and I delved into the profound philosophical ideas surrounding noise pollution, drawing inspiration from Timothy Morton’s concept of Mesh Philosophy.
Mesh philosophy underscores the interconnectedness of all beings, highlighting how even our smallest actions can have far-reaching consequences for the environment and other living organisms.
Human centrism, the belief that humans occupy a superior position in the world, is a pervasive ideology that often leads to a disregard for the well-being of non-human species. This anthropocentric perspective frequently blinds us to the impact our actions have on the delicate balance of ecosystems, including marine environments.
To address this issue, I aim to challenge the anthropocentric mindset and foster empathy for oceanic life. By immersing visitors in the underwater world through interactive experiences that simulate marine sounds and the impact of human noise pollution, I hope to evoke a sense of connection and awareness of the harm we are causing to these creatures. Recognising the interconnectedness of all beings allows us to move towards a more harmonious relationship with the natural world.
What have you discovered about the impact of human noise on marine creatures, specifically regarding their communication?
Shuwen Yang: Through my discussions with marine biologist and filmmaker Annie Moir, I gained insight into the devastating impact of human noise pollution on oceanic life. Most marine animals, particularly whales, depend heavily on sound for communication, hunting, and navigation. Anthropogenic noise in the oceans effectively drowns out their acoustic signals, akin to trying to converse with a friend at a loud concert.
The primary sources of oceanic noise pollution include military sonar and underwater airguns. These disrupt marine animals’ ability to navigate, sometimes leading to mass strandings. While the exact causes of these strandings remain under investigation, noise pollution is a significant factor. Animals exposed to such noise often show signs of hearing trauma.
More broadly, when marine creatures can’t communicate effectively, they encounter a range of challenges: difficulty finding each other, increased stress levels, separation of mothers and calves, and displacement from crucial feeding or breeding grounds as they attempt to escape the noise. These disruptions have a cascading effect on the entire ecosystem.
What do you hope to achieve with your project, and what steps do you believe are necessary to mitigate the impact of human noise on marine environments?
Shuwen Yang: Many people have a limited understanding of marine issues, largely due to our terrestrial lifestyles. This project seeks to bridge that gap by immersing people in the underwater world, illustrating the interconnectedness of all life on Earth, even in the deep ocean.
Humanity has the inherent ability to change, whether it be our environment or our behaviour. The power to make that decision rests in our hands.
Fostering a global environmental consciousness is crucial to this effort. By promoting empathy and understanding, we can encourage actions that protect and preserve our fragile marine ecosystems.
Now, I would like to delve into the poetic aspect of sound in this project and acknowledge the invaluable contribution of sound artist Ayane Tominaga. Ayane, can you tell us more about your role in developing the sound interaction technology for this project? What were some of the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Ayane Tominaga: Given the close connection between interaction and experience, I collaborated with Shuwen to develop the framework of this project. We decided to base the interactive system on Timothy Morton’s concept of ‘mesh’, which describes networks constructed by intertwining living organisms.
For the technological aspect, I built the system using Ableton and Max. One of the key challenges was effectively controlling and constructing the system of interaction, ensuring that the sound changes were accurately affected by the interplay. This project uniquely intersected art and design, presenting another challenge: balancing Shuwen’s passion and message with my artistic practice, which is grounded in the freedom of perception.
Often incorporating critical thinking when developing my ideas, I recognised that a crucial element of this project was the emotional experience it aimed to evoke. To address this challenge, we decided to finalize the interactive system and sound design through hands-on experimentation, allowing us to experience and feel the results firsthand.
The base sound for the project was a whale song from Dr. Payne’s album “Songs of Humpback Whales.” How did you go about integrating this sound into an interactive experience for the audience?
Ayane Tominaga: The soundscape in our project consists of three types of sounds proposed by Bernie Krause: geophony, biophony, and anthrophony. For the interaction, we introduced two types of actions: unconscious action (walking) and conscious action (blowing). The viewer steps onto the platform and engages with the work through “walking,” which symbolises human sound, and then interacts more deeply through “blowing,” which evokes the emotions of the whale within the work.
When I first heard the sound clip from Songs of Humpback Whales, I was astonished by the depth of emotion expressed by the whales.
To effectively incorporate these feelings into our work, I researched how empathy between species could be generated. For the Milan show, we focused on the empathy triggered by the ‘sadness’ inherent in the whale’s voice, creating a sound design that transformed the song to convey suffering through the act of blowing.
As my research progressed, I realised that to generate true empathy, we need to identify the whale as a person, currently perceived as an ‘other’ by humans. Emotions play a key role in this process of personhood identification. Through the act of blowing, the whale reveals its feelings via sound. This sequence of events allows the audience to recognise that this being possesses emotions, facilitating a deeper connection and empathy.
How do you see the intersection of art and technology evolving, especially in the context of interactive sound installations like this one?
Ayane Tominaga: Sound possesses a unique quality compared to other artistic materials. It permeates and diffuses, compelling the audience to be receptive in its environment.
When harnessed effectively, sound can create a profound experience that resonates throughout the entire body.
Interactive sound works utilising technology hold immense potential for artists to enhance perceptual connections with their audience, bridging the gap and making their artwork more accessible and intimate.
Thank you both for sharing your insights and the important work you’re doing. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Shuwen Yang: As creators, it’s our duty to use our sensitive hearts to perceive and observe the often overlooked issues in our world and to communicate our thoughts and inner convictions through our creations. It’s a profound honour to have our works recognised and valued by others. We hope that the themes and messages we aim to convey resonate and provoke concern among a wider audience.
I would also like to thank Ocean Alliance for allowing me to share the audio track and for the continuous support they give to young artists.
Ayane Tominaga: Thank you Simone; it’s truly an honour to showcase our work and a delight to delve into the project’s background. Through the emotional experience offered by art, our aim is to spark a reconsideration of the current dynamics between humans and non-humans, urging reflection on how we ought to navigate the Anthropocene era.
Interview by Simone Lorusso
This publication is part of Planted Journal’s initiative to support emerging artists and new talents who work to raise awareness of our connection to the natural world, harnessing the power of creativity.
