SHOR: A Spatial Exploration of Soundscapes of Birds in the City inspired by the Traditional Indian Art of Kalamkari

• Main Author: Bhurke, Archana Sunay (Author)
• Other Authors: Carley, Rachel (Contributor)
• Format: Others
• Published: Auckland University of Technology, 2021-03-10T20:34:33Z.
• Subjects: Belonging; Culture; Kalamkari; Sound; Mapping; Pattern; Motif; Thesis
• Online Access: Get fulltext

 The disordered world around us manifests itself through noise. This research project entitled Shor, a Hindi word for noise, explores how patterns can be formed from listening to familiar and unfamiliar birdsong to establish a sense of emplacement in an unknown land. My research positions my journey of emplacement in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) through the spatialisation of birdsongs using inspiration from the Indian heritage art of Kalamkari. Coming from the realms of rich Indian mythology, stories, and symbolism, I am reimagining the invisible sense of sound as patterns and motifs that have left an imprint on my state of being. I have proposed a walking methodology for the sonic cartography of places in the city where I discover known and unknown sounds. By recording and interpreting these acoustic cues through drawing and mark-making, I am developing a new visual language to delineate my attachments with this new place. While keeping inspiration from the traditional Kalamkari art, and using digital software to design, replicate and screen print the sound motifs on different textiles, I am exploring new ways to reinvent the heritage art. This project aims to share this newfound knowledge through surface design, where I manifest surfaces that tell my story of belonging.