When I first came across this image on Flickr titled “Sculpture, under water, Copenhagen” by phototouring, I thought about a past history, a culture that seemingly vanished under unforeseen circumstances. The statues reaching towards the surface in a manner that exudes a state of panic and longing for escape. Its almost as if they were actual people frozen in stone, by a cataclysmic event. It turns out this is a modern bronze sculpture titled “Agnete and the Merman”, by Danish Artist Suste Bonnén from the year 1992. Given that the piece is based on a Danish folk tale about abandonment, my original interpretation wasn’t too far off.
The audio I chose, “Stormchaser Duet” by Martijn de Boer (NiGiD), features a guitar and bass duet that play off each other, alternating between rhythms and tempos. The bass is deep and heavy evoking memories of muffled underwater sounds harnessed by a light airy reverberating guitar that floats on the senses. I paired the audio with the photo because its ethereal sound evokes mystery and a subtle, haunting nostalgia without being overly direct. During the editing process, I chose to use only the final minute and a half of the seven-minute track, focusing on its emotional progression and climactic build while staying true to my original vision.
I found it easier to start from an image and find the sound that matched rather than vice versa. My overall goal was to find a sound that closely matched my original emotional response to the image. I believe the pairing enhances both elements, as together they evoke a sense of mystery and a forgotten tale. During this exercise, I also thought about how a soundtrack is created and how that can truly elevate or diminish a scene.
Terms of Use: “Beneath the Surface” by Kenneth Jones is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Kenneth, I think you did an excellent pairing. I loved that you mentioned that the bass was reminiscent of sounds being muffled underwater. What a fantastic link! I have not seen this sculpture before but it looks heartbreaking, and the audio you paired made it more so. Kudos!
When the photo first came onto my screen, I immediately thought about the sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor (https://underwatersculpture.com/works/underwater/). He has works underwater all over the world, one of his most famous being Vicissitudes, in the Monlinere Underwater Sculpture Park in the Atlantic by Granada (https://underwatersculpture.com/projects/molinere-underwater-sculpture-park/).
I came across it like many did as a symbol of the slave trade. Taylor says it is not that at all. It is for the reef to recover and the children depict resilience when given the right nutrients.
The reason I say all of this is to say: I wonder what audio I would have first chosen to go with the image of Vicissitudes before I knew what the artist intended. What you chose for your Danish image could very well depict this work that has been appropriated for another purpose. But if knowing what the artist intended it to mean, the audio would most definitely be more vibrant and upbeat, I would think.
Agh! I was rewording my last paragraph and deleted some of it:
But my curiosity got the better of me and when I looked up what the word vicissitudes meant: a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant, I was surprised. If the meaning is resilience, how could that be unwelcome or unpleasant? Just something to ponder.
Great combination there, the music sounds like something out of a Supergiant game, easily transports the listener to a folkloric mindset, and even provides some motion for the image. The figures in the image themselves, with just the final 90 seconds, feels like they might turn and look up at you, where any other part of the song sort of evokes them walking around aimlessly.
Funny enough, there’s some thoughts from some other author on the ballad actually being satirical. If read anachronistically, it can come off a bit as an absurdist tragicomedy, opening up a whole new genre or style of music to pick from!
Hi Kenneth,
Great combination of your image with the sound. I agree, when I was completing the assignment, I felt it was much easier when I started searching for my audio after already having an image selected. The audio itself is a great choice! The muffled underwater sounds perfectly enhance the meaning of the picture and lets you get a sense for what the statues experienced in the Danish folktale mentioned. Great job!