Sanctuary — a unique site-specific public art event that explores what happens when environment, art, technology, science and culture meet — is to take place in Galloway Forest Dark Skies Park this weekend, 25/26th September. Installation ‘If trees were lone women what would they sound like?’, assembled by the writer and poet Clare Archibald, is an opportunity for those on site to immerse themselves in the audio of women from around the world whispering in words, sounds and music from 17 identified trees.

This work will produce an ongoing record of answers to the question often asked of women: ‘how do you feel about going into the woods alone?’. Combined with the sounds of the forest, those in the space will catch glimpses of desire, calm, joy, fear, myth, reality, hopes and how it might feel if the polyphony of women’s voices were to float free in the air and connect with the environment, and the human and non-human elements within it. The Lone Women Wood’ will play the sounds of 130+ people, in 10 languages. Those experiencing the ‘Lone Women Wood’ will be invited to record their own audio message afterwards, creating an ongoing dialogue of real and imagined individual experience and wider connection. 

More information about both ‘if trees were lone women what would they sound like?’ and the wider arrangements for Sanctuary 2021 (which also includes a 24-hour FM radio broadcast by The Dark Outside) can be found here.