in secret dens
// sonic performance // preview 23 march 2023, riverside walk – nine elms lane, us embassy
project partner: wandsworth council _ royal college of art
the sonic performance preview marked the first stage of a multilayered project initiated on the 23rd of march.
the journey along the riverside walk and its surroundings unfolded as a slow stroll embodying a structural vest inspired by the osmia avosetta bee’s nest and culminating with a hood depicting a sumac female flower. the vest, crafted from cotton fabric, was enriched with layers of petal-like fire-resistant textile components of various sizes. each piece was uv-printed with customized patterns digitally manipulated from different environments through a range of techniques.
embedded within the vest, an mp3 speaker continuously played soundscapes of playgrounds sourced from open platforms. the gentle volume created an invisible sonic boundary—perceptible only to those wearing earbuds. throughout the performance, encounters emerged through the proximity of footsteps, shaping moments of intimacy, curiosity, and exchange.
two barcodes positioned at both entrances of the riverside path, doubling as signage for flower-bed markers, provided information about the event by redirecting first to a linktree page and then to the website insecretdens.cloud. pedestrians engaged with the walking sculptural body solely through spatial proximity; both movement and sonic presence emanating from the human-nest elicited reactions that ranged across curiosity, fascination, perplexity, playfulness, and puzzlement.
the walk intentionally avoided theatricality, instead unfolding with the ease of a casual stroll—despite the mass and constraint of the clothing.
the route primarily followed the thames path and the area surrounding the us embassy gardens, shaped by the engagement of a small, receptive audience. given the density and commercial energy of venues near battersea power station, the presence of this uncanny, hybrid figure within a mixed-use environment risked transforming the performance from a reflection on interspecies coexistence into a spectacle of mere amusement or entertainment.
__insights_______________________________________________________________________________________
linktree landing page on the day
a flower that makes sense
staghorn sumac is considered an invasive species in the UK, most often settling in disturbed soil along roadsides. a few plants grow in battersea park, where their vivid forms tend to capture public curiosity. native to north america, the eastern united states, and parts of the middle east, the sumac’s journey unfolds across continents and cultures, metaphorically culminating in its role as a symbol of iranian springtime. across different traditions, the sumac tree is associated with the generative energy of nature and the pursuit of harmony among people and newly formed families.
osmia avosetta bee's nests
Osmia avosetta bee is a unique pollinator, from the species of mason bees and solitary by nature, whose uniqueness is that they use flower petals to construct nests for their larvae. They do not produce honey, do not have a queen, or live in hives. Their native habitat is typically found in Southwest Asia, but it was also observed in Turkey and in Iran, Syria, and Jordan. What makes the Osmia avosetta bee unique is that they use flower petals to construct nests for their larvae.