Ireland’s first space waste residency artist lands in Cork

Swedish sculptor Lundberg’s residency will incorporate sounds captured as deep space radio waves

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Swedish sound artist Niklas Lundberg

Swedish sculptor Nicklas Lundberg has been named Ireland’s first space waste residency artist by the National Space Centre (NSC) in partnership with Greywood Arts.

Supported by Cork County Council, Lundberg will travel to Ireland at the beginning of November for the month-long artist-in-residence programme, which examines waste produced by the acceleration of space technology. Lungberg’s art is centred around sculptural sound works. The residency will incorporate sounds captured as deep space radio waves using the NSC’s distinctive 32m Big Dish.

Almost 100 artists from around the world applied to the programme, which will see the chosen artist living and working at Greywood Arts in Killeagh, Co. Cork, gathering both materials and inspiration from neighbour the National Space Centre outside Midleton.

Lundberg was selected by a panel that included Cork based sculptor Evgeniya Martirosyan, whose work is part of the National Collection at Crawford Art Gallery.

“Niklas’ work often involves kinetic and interactive elements, and we were drawn to his playful and inquisitive approach,” said Jessica Bonenfant, artistic director at Greywood Arts. “We love how he brings together sculpture, sound, and motion, and are excited by the potential for audience interaction.”

Lundberg has a history of creating art utilising free resources including scrap electronics and junk metal, blended with scientific principles including pendulums and the doppler effect. The result is modular visual and sculptural sound works that create open forms in constant flux. For this residency, Lundberg will have access to space waste provided by the NSC including circuit boards, assemblies, and data subframes, as well as to radio waves captured by the National Space Centre’s iconic 32m Big Dish.

“Using a receiver mounted on the Big Dish by Blackrock Castle Observatory, we can pick up and record these electromagnetic waves as data,” explained Bruce Hannah, NSC’s chief technical officer. “These radio waves are ready for Niklas to convert to sound, resulting in a confluence of art and science.”

The results of the residency will be on exhibit to the public at the National Space Centre from 3 – 5 December at the National Space Centre in Elfordstown, outside of Midleton. The exhibition will be open to the public from 11am – 4pm, launching the National Space Centre’s 10th Birthday celebrations.

TechCentral Reporters

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