Hearing Seascapes

A slab of coral reef floats in black space speckled with tiny white points, as if in a field of stars. Its crusted surface shifts from slate blue to rust and coral pink, rough with knobs and branches, and a pale band of sand runs along its base.
Title
Hearing Seascapes
Artist
Lei Liang
Collaborators
Falko Kuester, John Hildebrand, Josh Jones, Stuart Sandin, Lauren Jones, Eunjeong Stella Koh, Anahita Abbasi, Mivos Quartet
Date
2017–ongoing
Description
Led by UC San Diego composer Lei Liang and Qualcomm Institute engineer Falko Kuester, this interdisciplinary initiative brings together music composition students and researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography to explore the creative possibilities of marine science. Through a collaborative seminar, participants translate underwater recordings and scientific imaging—including Arctic ice formations, whale echolocation, and coral reef scans—into original musical compositions and immersive experiences. Projects include a virtual reality sound installation presented at the Qualcomm Institute’s SunCAVE in 2018 and a 2019 performance by the Mivos Quartet and students featuring compositions informed by Arctic field recordings.
Artwork Type
Sound Art / Field Recording
Research Project
Materiality
Audio / Sound
Digital / Electronic Media
Climate & Ecology Themes
Oceans and Coasts
Biodiversity and Species Loss
Concepts
Embodiment and the Senses
Ecological Domain / Habitat
Open Ocean
Methods & Approaches
Art and Science Collaboration
Education and Pedagogy
Audience / Engagement Type
Academic / Research
Public / General Audience
Location
Qualcomm Institute, Atkinson Hall, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California
Geographic Scope
International / Global
Rights
Rights held by artist or creator
Website
chei.ucsd.edu/hearing-seascapes
Publisher
UC San Diego, Department of Music / Qualcomm Institute
Discipline / Field
Arts & Design
Natural Sciences
Engineering & Technology
Item sets
California Art & Climate Archive
UC San Diego
Media
A slab of coral reef floats in black space speckled with tiny white points, as if in a field of stars. Its crusted surface shifts from slate blue to rust and coral pink, rough with knobs and branches, and a pale band of sand runs along its base.Lei Liang, Hearing Seascapes (coral reef scan)