Cagarros Assembly
ongoing
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My interest in Cory’s shearwater began during a residency in the Azores (Walk & Talk), when I was inspired by the raucous sound of these birds returning to their breeding grounds at night. The Cory’s shearwater (Calonectris borealis) is an elusive species of nocturnal seabird that nests in underground burrows on small islands of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Approximately 75% of the global population breeds in the Azores. When the fledglings leave the nest for the first time the artificial lights disorientate the fledglings, so they often become lost, smash into lights or are killed on island roads. Since the birds are no longer used for grease, pillows or food–or slaughtered by the Roman Catholic church – who believed that their calls were the voice of the Devil – artificial light has become the largest single threat to their existence. In response, the Regional Government of the Azores has developed an annual campaign, SOS Cagarros, which aims to engage the local population and encourage them to rescue young Cory’s shearwaters.
This is an ongoing project, wherein I take on many roles: volunteer, researcher, translator, field recordist. In the process there have been several stops along the way to an eventual film, including:
Notes for A Cagarros Assembly (annotated cinema)
Cagarros Listening Assembly (listening session-performance)
A Jangada (sound installation)
(special thanks to SPEA, Tania Pipa, Beatriz Martins, Azucena Martin, Elizabeth Atchoi)
ongoing
My interest in Cory’s shearwater began during a residency in the Azores (Walk & Talk), when I was inspired by the raucous sound of these birds returning to their breeding grounds at night. The Cory’s shearwater (Calonectris borealis) is an elusive species of nocturnal seabird that nests in underground burrows on small islands of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Approximately 75% of the global population breeds in the Azores. When the fledglings leave the nest for the first time the artificial lights disorientate the fledglings, so they often become lost, smash into lights or are killed on island roads. Since the birds are no longer used for grease, pillows or food–or slaughtered by the Roman Catholic church – who believed that their calls were the voice of the Devil – artificial light has become the largest single threat to their existence. In response, the Regional Government of the Azores has developed an annual campaign, SOS Cagarros, which aims to engage the local population and encourage them to rescue young Cory’s shearwaters.
This is an ongoing project, wherein I take on many roles: volunteer, researcher, translator, field recordist. In the process there have been several stops along the way to an eventual film, including:
Notes for A Cagarros Assembly (annotated cinema)
Cagarros Listening Assembly (listening session-performance)
A Jangada (sound installation)
(special thanks to SPEA, Tania Pipa, Beatriz Martins, Azucena Martin, Elizabeth Atchoi)