Air Pressure.

Air Pressure is a collaborative project by Angus Carlyle and Rupert Cox. Begun in 2010, it involved two periods of field work in Narita, Japan to explore the heard world of one farming family whose organic holding is now encircled by an international airport. The project went on to become a CD-book, a touring film and a gallery installation.

The piece presented here, “Kiatsu” – sound pressure in Japanese – is a two screen, multichannel film work. It is being presented here in a stereo version, with the two screens side-by-side. A 5.1 version also exists.

“Kiatsu” draws on the activities of the last farming family living within the concrete and steel infrastructure of Japan’s largest airport, where noise – of taxiing and of take-offs and landings – exerts a constant pressure from before dawn until well after dusk. The work has also been informed by an extended collaboration with Professor Kozo Hiramatsu (the UK President of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science), who participated in the second period of fieldwork and who has provided us with the perspective of acoustic science.

The film was installed in a purpose-built darkened viewing room containing 8 audio speakers at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester. The exhibition, part of the Asia Triennial Manchester was between November 5th, 2011 and January 15th, 2012.

The project was supported by a Wellcome Trust Arts Award.

You can learn more about the project at the Air Pressure Blog