In Convivium #9
With 'Composer in the Woods' Alex Duncan
(You can watch the video recording of our conversation here.)
IC#9 features Alex Duncan, a.k.a. the Composer in the Woods, a UK sound artist who now sees it as his calling to “give plants a voice in a world in desperate need of their wisdom.” He does this by allowing their electrical rhythms or “bio-data,” along with that of their mycorrhizal partners, to direct and inspire the music played by him and collaborating musicians.
“Instead of a human choosing the notes you get a plant or a piece of fungus to choose the notes. Obviously, from an artistic point of view that opens up a whole new concept, a whole new idea, because you’re no longer just a human choosing to play E minor, say.”
We are all bioelectric beings on a bioelectric planet and, accordingly, Alex has found that the electrical data patterning he taps into is certainly not random. It may represent busy photosynthesis on a sunny day, say, or the passing stress of noisy vehicles. On one occasion, following a particularly synergistic and fun rehearsal as the ‘band’ Lichon, the data patterns shifted, appearing to echo the human musicians’ joy.
“It felt like we were in the presence of a being that was enjoying what we were doing and wanted to contribute. It was crazy!” And another time Alex witnessed an Oak pause their busy data whilst a friend, one with a deep relationship with this particular tree, meditated beneath them. As soon as this human finished, replacing his socks and shoes, the Oak carried on as before. It makes you wonder.
Alex has become increasingly sensitised to plant ethics as he’s gone deeper into this work. The data patterns and responses clearly suggest sentience to him, an echo, of course, of the findings from plant intelligence research. He has, for instance, dropped the rough ‘crocodile clips’ of his early work, now using carefully placed needles. (The mention of which makes me wonder if there is such a thing as plant acupuncture?!)
Moreover, it has led him to increasingly take such creativity out into the field, or rather forest. “When you do these things in situ so it’s all connected up properly, rather than in a cage which is effectively what a plant pot is, things definitely get more exciting.” This Summer he’s hoping to co-host a gig within a local woodland for this very reason. I’m fortunate he lives close to me here in North Devon.
Alex has also found that the more complex (older) the ecosystem, the more complex the data, which again echoes what we know about old-growth habitats (see next week’s post and IC#8). There are far more organic conversations taking place and, like me, he suspects there is a significant relationship between phytochemical language, which we are still in the infancy of understanding, and the data patterning folk like him play with.
And plant music is certainly trending these days. Alex featured at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, the flagship event of Britain’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), an experience he really enjoyed. Though not every punter warmed to his work, there were plenty of open minds, some reduced to tears. And that’s the role of art, isn’t it - to gently provoke in whatever way. Well played the RHS in opening up the stage.
Alex himself has certainly shifted. “This is how much using bio-data to work on from an artistic point of view has changed my view of the universe: I do honestly think that humans are here for light entertainment.” A fine stand alone quote, one you might interpret in a number of ways. Yet what he meant by this is that we give Gaia and the MOTH (more-than-human) problems to solve (pollution, say). Which they can and do.
This notion of humans as a form of hormetic stressor was somewhat tongue in cheek, and looking ahead Alex offered this general takeaway for everyone on planet, as a way to avoid excessive stress: “Kindness is the golden ticket and we should all embrace that.” Amen, especially as it pertains to relations with our plant kin. Indeed, there’s an idea for a tee-shirt slogan: plant kin(d). Let’s see what manifests! Band merch Alex?
Speaking of which, Lichon has a new album, The Weathering, out soon. For more info on that, upcoming events and to actually hear what this kind of music sounds like, please visit Alex’s sparkling new website. And again, you can watch the video recording of our conversation here. Enjoy your week.