Naturens Stemmer - Voices of Nature

Roleplay and live sound performance at Kulturnat in Kulturhuset Islands Brygge

11.10.2024

I facilitated a role-playing game lasting appr. 45 minutes, in which each participant represented a species and discussed the interests of the ecosystem together.

At the end of the role-play, I recorded a message from each species on audio, which I put into a digital instrument during a one hour break. I then played the instrument in a live performance in the sensory space ship Vesica, together with artist Juniper Jespersen playing viola and knobs, and VJ Søren Peter Mørch creating visuals that played along with the voices. People could lie down in the spaceship and listen to the Voices of Nature and see the visuals above them.

What does the Cod think about nutrient pollution in Danish waters? What points will the Old Oak make regarding nature rights? Do United Fly Agarics have any input on humans' methods of organization? Can we entice Skylarks and Warblers to express their views on Copenhagen's development in song? How do we grow into the already begun collapse of the climate and food chains?

Is it still possible to invite symbiosis with humans, or have they wasted their chance?

How do we heal the earth?

Photos: Ramona Rose

We did our best to interpret between species. We must use our imagination, empathy, and listening skills to understand each other.

I used the card deck 99 species to see before you grow up from which people picked a species to represent.

The Species roleplay is inspired by Joanna Macy's Work that reconnects.

Mask technique by Randi Kjær.