Chris Myhr, installation view of Approaches to Erg, 2014. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Chris Myhr is captivated by the destructive power of water. In this Visual Arts News podcast, Veronica Simmonds chats with the Ontario-based artist about his exploration of the Halifax Harbour and the ships wrecked beneath its surface. For Myhr’s Approaches to Erg—part of a larger body work, Point Line Intersection: In and Around Urban Waters—Myhr recorded the haunting deep-water sounds lurking just above these wrecks. Myhr’s multi-speaker audio installation is immersing viewers in the disorienting world of underwater sounds at the Khyber Centre for the Arts (May 20-29, 2014).
Photo of Chris Myhr recording by Sandy Saunders
Installation detail of Chris Myhr’s Approaches to Erg, 2014. Image courtesy of the artist.
This artwork was commissioned by the Centre for Art Tapes’ ambitious audio project titled “Acoustic Networks” (2013-2015), which is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, and includes 10 artists, among them are: Lukas Pearce, Eleanor King, Gordon Monohan and Cheryl L’Hirondelle. The artists were selected by the CFAT Programming Committee.
Though the artist presented his artwork through the Khyber, it was produced in a new custom built (for a community of artists) audio suite in the CFAT space. Let’s not forget to mention that it takes partnership, curatorial vision, and public funding to realize such productions.