marco barotti creates provoking nature intervention with waste elements

marco barotti creates provoking nature intervention with waste elements
all images courtesy of marco barotti

‘swans’ seems like a harmless and naive name for the radical yet subtle intervention in nature accomplished by marco barotti. irony is a clearly recognizable element of this installation made from eight satellite dishes, seven white and one black, obvious waste elements of our society representing the power of mainstream tv and mass media. brought to life by sound, wind and water, these animals made from recycled metal float peacefully in a pond, merging perfectly with the nature surrounding them.

the elements merge perfectly with the nature’s surroundings

speakers installed above the bases of the former satellite dishes serve as the animals’ heads. two layers of sound design consisting of bass frequencies and human breath passing through brass instruments provide them with voice and motion. eight individual audio channels are used to transport the sound through the swans, bringing them to life and remodelling the landscape.

video courtesy of marco barotti

this image provokes both a sense of revulsion and an intimate feeling of familiarity, serving as a hack of the natural environment while challenging the audience with its amalgamation of tech waste and wildlife. the omnipresent hand of humanity is unmistakable in its role as a kind of god in the same way that humanity relates to nature. 

the speakers were installed above the bases of former satellite dishes 

they also ressemble swan’s heads

the sound design is composed of two layers, one with bass frequencies 

(..) the second one with human breath passing through brass instruments

the audio provides the ‘swans’ with voice and motion

the installation consists of eight individual audio channels

the audio channels are used to transport the sound through the swans

the addition of the sound brings the ‘swans’ to life and remodel the landscape

project info:

concept: marco barotti
curated by: markus wüste
produced at: platoon kunsthalle (berlin)
special thanks: anna anderegg
photos: marco barotti

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.