METAMORPHOSIS : Final Phase
Metamorphosis (…pathless land…) was a two year long collaboration between four artists (two visual artists and two musicians / writers). The final work is an audio-visual installation, comprising a ‘Victorian hang’, with contributions by all four of us, and a 30-minute soundtrack, on which all our voices are heard. The soundtrack can be listened to in its entirety, as a meditative experience, in conjunction with the visual images…
There is also a collection of 3D objects (like a cabinet of curiosity); an intimate media piece, and video-improv.
The title, ‘…pathless land…’ is a reference to J. Krishnamurti’s famous 1929 speech, Truth is a Pathless Land, in which he rejects the role of spiritual leader or guru.
Our audio-visual work represents our own metamorphosis, individually, and collectively, through the ‘pathless land’ of 2020 and 2021, sharing ideas in words and pictures on WhatsApp, letting the metamorphosis find its own journey. We focused on four concepts: seed, egg, meander and feminine energy, to co-create a ‘Victorian hang’ of images, with a soundtrack, to represent the potential, process and transformative power of this time and our ongoing journey through it.
‘…pathless land…’, is a multimedia installation and online project by Eleanor Dawson, Ashleigh Downey, Sylvia Hill and Justyna Kosmulska.
A collaboration first initiated as part of ArtNet dlr Metamorphosis project 2020-21.
About the soundtrack
The soundtrack is a journey in four parts, each of which spiral into the other: a metamorphic journey through our inner landscape during the years 2020 and 2021. The terrain of our journey in sound is in four sections, following the prompting of the four words which were our supports during the creative process.
It is a four-part journey of change: 1. incipit, 2. seed-egg, meander, 3. spirals, 4. emerging.
Beginning with an evocation of an arid landscape with dry seed-sounds, seeds of potential, which incubate and develop, allowing for nourishing, nurturing and a final emergence.
The majority of the sounds were played and recorded by Eleanor. Justyna contributed a key theme on the harp, representing journeying, and the vocalise in Part 4. Ashleigh’s breath and natural sounds and Sylvia’s incantations of our shared words make it a completely collaborative process in sound.
Soundtrack composed and edited by Eleanor Dawson.
Complete Soundtrack
The soundtrack as a whole runs for just over 30 minutes, and can be listened to in its entirety, as a meditative experience, in conjunction with the visual images. This soundtrack is titled: ‘… pathless land…’
Visuals by Ashleigh Downey, Sylvia Hill, Justyna Kosmulska and Eleanor Dawson.
(in order of appearance)
Four sections of the soundtrack as separate tracks
Here the four tracks are available separately. Parts 1, 2 and 4 are each 8-9 minutes long. Part 3 just over 4 minutes.
Sound-bites
These are small, discrete sections of sound, made up of between 2 and 4 strands of sound. Each is a key moment in the journey through the landscape. They are embedded into the texture of the complete soundtrack. The first three are extracted from Part 3, spirals, and the fourth, vocalising, from Part 4, feminine energy. They are reproduced here (and visually as part of the Victorian hang) in their own ‘space’.
spiralling 
into light 
weaving words 
vocalising
A collaboration between Eleanor Dawson, Ashleigh Downey, Sylvia Hill, & Justyna Kosmulska.
Two musicians, a visual artist, and an ecological artist with a socially engaged practice.
Metamorphosis (…pathless land…)
