Kyla Brettle has spent 20 years creating detailed soundworks exploring the language of audio-based media.
As the urgency of the climate crisis escalates, the internationally acclaimed audio documentary maker asks, how can soundwork support political action and place-based engagement?
Brettle is among artists scheduled to present as part of the Conflux festival of creative ideas being presented by Emporium Creative Hub in Bendigo next month.
“I’m giving a talk called ‘Sounding out the Climate Emergency’ and I’ve also worked on a video installation that’s part of an art exhibition happening at the event around climate resilience,” the Barkers Creek resident told the Mail.
Drawing on a range of creative audio examples, her own work and that by others, Brettle discusses the potential for creative non-fiction soundwork to contribute to sociocultural and personal change.
The artist has been working on a project with climate advocate and screen composer Rob Law, titled Endgame, which has just been announced as a finalist in the Jackson Wild Media Awards.
“I’ll play some immersive audio excerpts at Conflux and explore questions about our role as media makers in this time of unstoppable loss, how we grapple with, talk about and invite audiences into this mess,” Brettle said.
“There’s lots of amazing audio work being produced locally – from audio art to podcasts to geo-locative sound stuff – work that’s using sound to connect us more deeply with place, community and ourselves – stories that challenge our patterns of thinking and how we imagine the future.
“It’s actually a really exciting and vibrant space to be working with – despite – or perhaps in spite of the climate situation being so grim.”
Brettle is among a host of local artists taking part in Conflux in Bendigo in September. Early bird tickets are available now at emporiumcreativehub.com.au/conflux
Readers can also explore Brettle’s work on Endgame at: endgamepodcast.net