Lucy Stevens is based in Leicester. She is a sound and visual artist inspired by bird behaviour; in particular bird vocalisation, identification and conservation. She records birdsong in order to identify birds and visualise their songs via printmaking techniques and graphic illustration.
Her work has been exhibited locally, as well as France and Sweden as part of artist residencies and commissions. In 2015 she developed a series of drawings inspired by birdsong, as part of a residency at Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Sudborough Green Lodge and exhibited a selection at a group exhibition at Stamford Arts Centre. In 2014 she was funded by Arts Council England to collaborate with musicians to create a vinyl EP, record sleeve and lyric book inspired by birdsong. In 2013 she recorded birdsong in Sweden and interpreted the sounds through monoprint, to be exhibited at Nottingham Trent University. Her involvement in a citizen science project with Cornell Lab of Ornithology, to explore why pigeons exist in a variety of colour morphs, resulted in the creation of two digital illustrations – both receiving award nominations.
Describe your practice for us:
My art practice examines the acoustic ecology of the natural environment using field recording, digital illustration, drawing and printmaking as a tool to better understand the diversity of bird species and their vocalisations.
The work explores my encounters with wildlife, including data from observing the behaviour of birds, recording birdsong and visualising bird vocalisations. These actions reflect my ongoing desire to communicate, interpret and understandanimal behaviour through transcribing vocalisations as a form of species identification.
How long have you been practising?
It’s been almost 8 years since I completed my MA in Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University and I have been working on a range of projects, commissions and exhibitions ever since. I really enjoy collaborating with other artists andmusicians and Im hoping to work on future projects with performers, dancers and digital artists.
What is the most interesting/inspiring thing you have seen/been to over the last month, and why?
I recently went to Nottingham Arts Theatre to see Be play One, a performance of music written by Be collective, originally composed to accompany artist Wolfgang Buttress’ sculpture The Hive. The concert used a live stream from a bee hive to incorporate the different sounds of bees, to inspire 12 musicians on stage. It was a truly immersive experience with vibrant video projections, and had a short introduction to explain the different calls and songs, including the queen bee’s tooting and waggle dance!
I also really enjoyed the exhibition by Lucy + Jorge Orta at Attenborough Arts Centre. It has been a source of inspiration, in particular the Symphony for Absent Wildlife which explores endangered species and migration. The darkened eery installation features models dressed as mythical creatures, stood playing bird whistles, whilst a soundtrack of birdsong plays. In response to this I have collaborated with musicians to create The Red Species List, a concert using the songs of endangered bird species and projected hand drawn visuals of birdsong.
Which other artists’ work do you admire, and why?
There are so many artists and musicians whose work I admire in particularthose that use sound, installation, print and land art to explore and document the natural environment, ecology and climate change. Olga Karlikova would document the songs of birds and frogs in her garden using scribbled drawings from dawn until dusk. Richard Long creates site specific work from marks made from walking and documents this process using photography. Marcus Coates ‘Dawn chorus’, explores the relationship between birdsong and the human voice, and similarities between bird and human behaviour. I went to see the installation by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot featuring zebra finches playing electric guitars, with their feet and twigs in a walk-through aviary at the Barbican.
One of the most memorable sound installation’s I have experienced was at Frequency Festival, Lincoln Cathedral by sound recordist Chris Watson. The sounds of whales and underwater creatures were so clear and you could almost feel the water splashing on your skin which was accompanied by wonderful harmonies and mimicry from a vocalist.
I am also really interested in creative interpretations of data, including musician Daniel Crawford whose piece ‘Song Of a Warming Planet’ explores the rising temperature of the planet due to the effects of climate change. ‘Living Symphonies’ also uses data from the forest to create audio for this landscape sound installation, which portrays the thriving activity of the forest’s wildlife, plants and atmospheric conditions by artists Jones and Bulley.
Where can people see your work?
People can see my work on my website: www.lucystevens.co.uk. There will also be opportunity to see it at the Open 27 Exhibition at New Walk Museum, Leicester from 12 March – 8 May. I have also been commissioned to create a new piece of work in response to the Lucy + Jorge Orta exhibition at Attenborough Arts Centre, which will be a concert of field recordings, live music and projections to explore the songs of endangered bird species. The concert ‘The Red Species List’ will take place on Friday 22 April at 8pm. Tickets can be purchased at: www.attenborougharts.com
