Forgotten Songs (artwork)

Artwork concept

The artwork concept could be comprehended by the artist's words: "The installation explores how Sydney’s fauna has evolved and adapted to co-exist with increased urbanisation – inviting contemplation of the city’s past, its underlying landscape, and the sustainability issues associated with increased urban development."

Title

As a result, the artwork's title was selected to celebrate those birds which were living in central Sydney "before they were gradually forced out of the city by European settlement" The artist's intention was to return the birds sounds to the city and make it as an important part of the city life.

Birdcages

The artist has used 120 suspended bird cages in the laneway above the Angel Place accompanied by the sound recordings of extinct or threatened bird species of the central Sydney.

Bird songs

Recordings are played of the songs of fifty bird species which used to live in the central Sydney area on two audio tracks - day birds and night birds - with "a calendared sequence of triggers that progressively allows for longer days in summer and longer nights in winter". Some of these birds songs can still be heard on the city margins but not in central Sydney. Based on investigations of doctor Richard Major in regards to the city soil types and examining Australian Museum collection of bird skins, a list of 50 species of both diurnal and nocturnal birds was provided. Consequently, the sound files of those 50 species were gathered by the wildlife recordist, Fred van Gessel.

Practical development of the project

In terms of the practical aspect of the project, about 120 birdcages sources from various places, from eBay to second-hand stores. And the artist claims that in order to get all those birdcages, his mother, sister and his relatives have been involved in collecting and picking those cages. Sound installations have been done by putting all-weather speakers in some of the birdcages, which they continually play birdsongs.

Birds species

In addition to hearing the fifty birds' songs as you walk on the Angel Place, names of these fifty bird species can be read as well, since they have been installed into the ground as the part of the installation. The following list represents the bird species which they sang in central Sydney. Some of these songs still can be heard in city margins, if these birds can find food to survive.

Based on the bird species, some of them used to sing during the daytime, while some others during the nighttime. Therefore, song recordings change from day to night. At night, Powerful owl, Southern boobook, Tawny frogmouth, Barn owl, Owlet-nightjar and White-throated nightjar songs might be heard.

Design team

Forgotten Songs was the outcome of an interdisciplinary project, including Michael Thomas Hill as the artist, Dr Richard Major as the senior research scientist, Fred Van Gessel as the wildlife recordist, Lightwell as the audio system designer and programmer, Freeman Ryan Design as Graphic Design office and Aspect Studio as Landscape Architecture company. all those groups and individuals have been involved in delivering this artwork installation.