Urban Forest Bathing: Oakland Acoustic Park
Like many cities, Oakland has become a concrete expanse, currently filled with a cacophony of sounds from construction, freeways, neighbors and the background hum of persistent Nature. Green spaces are few and far between, let alone ones insulated from the psychological grounding of the evolving city around it. In this installation, an iterative experiment explores the interplay of the natural and man-made to augmentation perception and provide a portable psychological escape.
Consisting of generative soundscapes, images, and time-lapses captured and composed entirely within the city limits- this project offers an alternative experience of Oakland. Sculptural like soundscapes are recorded and are processed in the artist work flow then fed to an algorithm for unsupervised generative composition of soundscapes. Borrowing from the concept of forest bathing, the recording is designed to amplify and immerse the listener in the natural essence of modern day Oakland.
Audio available for download on bandcamp, limited edition cassette also available. Listen anywhere you need acoustic augmentation. Made possible by the generous support of the City of Oakland’s (2019-2020) Cultural Arts Grant Program.
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