FPG Sounds: K-A-B, ‘Echoes in the Fossils: And Doggerland Fell Silent (Part 1)’

For the first track in this five-part audio-visual work, Southend-based artist K-A-B (Kelly Ann Buckley) looks at the parallels between the devastation of a rich Mesolithic landscape lost to the North Sea 8,000 years ago and the potential disasters of the current climate emergency, which looks set to significantly impact parts of the world, including Essex, by 2050.

‘Echoes in the Fossils’ uses experimental sound to consider the impact of climate change on Southend’s coastline. Including the use of aural frequencies of melting ice, community soundscapes and ‘techno-fossils’ made from coastal waste which conduct sound when touched by a human hand. Brought together in a final composition, Buckley’s emotive project provokes a call to action with the knowledge that Southend is included in the first 10% of UK towns to be flooded by rising sea levels.

Commissioned as part of ‘FPG Sounds’, a new project led by Focal Point Gallery bringing together the works of 15 Southend artists to create a series of original sound works released online throughout 2022. Spoken word, experimental music, field recordings and podcasts will set the stage for a diverse programme that celebrates the intuitive use of sound by Southend’s artist community.

Find out more here: Echoes in the Fossils | Focal Point Gallery (fpg.org.uk)