Seed Rotations

Seed Rotation "felt exactly like what Nuit Blanche aims for and rarely achieves: the free and fun interaction between artists and the public. It certainly helped that Verbanz was cheerful and unpretentious."

"Seed Rotation" is a performance audio installation.

This acoustic piece was presented on a sidewalk, fronting a food cooperative building, on Halifax's Agricola Street.

Using a variety of cooking vessels � from ceramic bowls to metal pans, A bevy of intriguing and unexpected sounds arise from seeds striking the inside of a pot. These distinctive sounds are amplified with pressure-sensitive plate (PZM) microphones and speakers.

Passersby on the street were invited to assist in the performance. Sound created from organic material such as grains, seed, and shells is an ancient ritual used to celebrate and mark many of life's events, including the fall harvest.

The performance is engaged with the physical environment and the social history of the neighbourhood. The purpose for the performance is to raise awareness of the creeping incremental loss of our intimate connection to the life-giving and sustainable environment that produces our food.

During Nuit Blanche (2010) one reviewer said: "I escaped to Toronto Artscape's Wychwood Barns, which was still technically Zone A. It was a brilliant idea. Wychwood Barns' installations were inviting, intriguing and relaxing...

"...the informal atmosphere of the [Verbanz] installation encouraged participation and conversation among the people participating. Little kids joined in. It felt exactly like what Nuit Blanche aims for and rarely achieves: the free and fun interaction between artists and the public. It certainly helped that Verbanz was cheerful and unpretentious."

� blogTO, October 21, 2010. "Nuit Blanche 2010: The Best and Worst of Zone A"