Art meets climate science at Library at the Dock Gallery

A collaborative exhibition Waves and Bubbles: Turbulent Waters merges climate science, music and visual art to transform Library at the Dock Gallery into an aural-visual ocean world until May 25.

This project, born out of collaboration between artist Elissa Goodrich and research scientist Richard Manasseh and his team at Swinburne University, combines science, art and music to bring the acoustics of bubbles breaking in ocean waves onto dry land.

Ms Goodrich crafted music interpretation of Professor Manasseh’s finding on fluid dynamics – the study of liquids and gases in motion – to replicate the sound of bubbles breaking. His team examines ocean warming, using bursting bubbles as a key to understanding carbon dioxide absorption and water temperature.

She took this sound data, and produced an exhibition heavily based in collaboration to offer alternate ways of understanding the complex social and scientific issue that is climate change.

“My work is firstly trying to understand what these scientists are doing, but from a composer’s point of view, and then making music and sound out of what they’ve found,” Ms Goodrich said.

This project sits right at the intersection between new climate science and multi-disciplinary arts-making, offering a soundscape reminiscent of an ocean-world accompanied by 3D and video art spotted around the gallery.

For Ms Goodrich, scientists and musicians are not so far apart as many people believe.

“We both ask questions, we both test things. We discover things and then ask some more questions,” she said.

When scientists and artists listen to each other, that dialogue that emerges across what are perhaps traditional silos of knowledge is a beautiful thing.

The artist herself is a renowned composer, sound artist and percussionist. Often, she works with artists from other disciplines to create narrative through her music.

To process of combining music with data was “tricky, but fun.”

“I spend a lot of time in the laboratory,” Ms Goodrich said, adding that “a lot of listening, a lot of observing, a lot of learning” was involved.

She and Prof. Manasseh have been working together to bridge the world between science and arts for six years now, joined on this occasion by other, internationally acknowledged, independent artists.

This includes video artist and dramaturg Michale Carmody and exhibition visual designer, visual artist and science communicator Gabby O’Connor.

Much of Ms Goodrich’s past work has been heavily rooted in collaboration – between artist and artist, as well as between scientist and artist.

“It creates something bigger than yourself. The artistic energy that’s there, and the trust you need to have with those you’re working with, it’s all shared – you never know what will grow from it,” she said.

While the current exhibition offers a “freeze frame in time, beautifully supported by the City of Melbourne,” her work with Prof. Manasseh is ongoing.

She hopes that, by interpreting data in unique ways across different mediums, knowledge is made more accessible for those struggling with the “bigness” of the climate crisis.

“Knowledge is power. Breaking down any barriers that we might have in relation to the science is key to allowing hopeful and optimistic understanding of our world,” she said.

“Sometimes it feels like science is sort of separate from the world we’re in. It’s not. It’s another way of exploring nature, asking questions, and trying to find some answers.”

Opening nights for this production was last Thursday. The exhibition can be seen until May 25, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. •