Project 1: The Anthropocene
“4,000 miles x 2000 ft”
4,000 miles x 2,000 ft from Colleen Allen on Vimeo.
“In my performance I wanted to compare the impact of the Ice Age glaciers and human impact of the physical earth. The Anthropocene is so hard for people to understand because similar to the movement of the glaciers, it is not something they can see as a change happening before their eyes. So I used my own human form to trace the crevices of the Central Park rock formations. By doing this, I am giving a recognizable and relatable human face to planetary change. As I traced the crevices I also recorded the sound the action created. I did this by placing my recording device on the stick picking up each small vibration caused through the friction of the rock and wood. This audio was then played over the video. I hope to show my audience that even if you can see the physical impact we are having on the environment, through the sound, we cannot begin to understand how intense and complex these actions are.”
Symphony of the Soil Illustration:
“This film proves that our past, present and future are instrincially bound in more ways than we can imagine. We have to respect our past in the present in order to thrive in the future. When we throw away the thousands of years of progress in nature in order to take shortcuts in the present, we leave nothing for the future. One of the most fascinating interrelated systems that I learned about was how plants have learned how to create an environment for bacteria to grow where it can cultivate Nitrogen which the plants can use. The bacteria creates a growth on the roots and in response roots enclose this growth inside. Because Nitrogen becomes inactive when it is exposed to oxygen, this system makes it possible for plants to receive the Nitrogen it needs through the bacteria.”
Field Notebook:
My two favorite spreads from my field notebook.
Project 2: Strange Weather/ Climate in the Fifth Season
Project 3: Change Viewer
“Immersion”
Immersion from Colleen Allen on Vimeo.
“My “change viewer” is a garment, which restrains its wearer in order to allow them to experience uninhibited reality. By restraining themselves, they are put in a position of slowing down, free from the distractions of technology and daily life. I have created a shirt and skirt, which I wear in a performance piece that demonstrates its intended use. The garment becomes ritualistic, putting the wearer in a physical and mental state of exploration and experience just as a shaman utilizes sacred garments and costumes… I hope that my piece will allow my audience to experience and realize that the world around them really is changing, to an extent of viewable physical signs. By doing so, I hope to rid them of any doubts about climate change and inspire urgency about how to act in ways that are more resilient. If they are aware of the soil beneath their feet, perhaps they will see how they can add nutrients through organic farming techniques. Climate change is such a difficult and complex subject, making it overwhelming to approach. But these small realizations are catalysts for understanding and change on a greater scale.”