Single-channel video, four-channel audio, 2024

Padstow is a single-channel video, four-channel audio work inspired by a return to the site of some of my earliest childhood memories, the town of Padstow, a fishing port on the coast of Cornwall, UK.

This work attempts to recall vague, hazy memories of walking hand-in-hand with my grandfather before his untimely death at sea on Christmas Day. The video footage explores details of the harbour and beach, such as fishing ropes and nets, reflections on water and lichen and moss on the sea walls.

The immersive electroacoustic soundtrack is composed of field recordings made in the harbour along with close-miked shells and pebbles from the beach and looped piano, shruti box, melodica, chime bars, toy glockenspiel and bells, recorded the following week in a barn in nearby Devon.

The audio was mixed to four channels during a residency at EMS (Elektronmusikstudion) in Stockholm, with the addition of electronic tones from a vintage Buchla 200 modular synthesizer and AKG BX20 spring reverb.