The sea is not silent. Beneath the surface of Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour, there is symphony of sound. Endangered Upokohue Hector’s Dolphins and whales, fish and even crustaceans add their voice to its chorus, many relying on sound for feeding, finding mates, detecting predators and maintaining social bonds. With the globalisation of goods, Whakaraupō has become a busy port, increasing human noise pollution in this marine sanctuary that can stress, physically damage and mask the communication of the harbour’s aquatic inhabitants.

Upokohue: A Subaquatic Symphony for Whakaraupō invites its audience to experience the underwater soundscape in a 4-part sound work. All sounds were recorded underwater using hydrophones by the artist, marine researchers and Lyttelton Port Company. All the human noise was made there and all the species heard are currently found there. The audience listens to the work underwater for a fully embodied sensory immersion in a more-than-human world we rarely hear, and also viscerally experience the impact of human noise pollution. The work also features the reconstruction of a bubble curtain now used by the Lyttelton Port Company to dampen the noise of the building work that was found to make upokohue leave the area.

Presented as a series of immersive experience in the Norman Kirk Lyttelton Pool and as a 4-channel above water installation at Rei Gallery as part of the Know Your Place Environmental Art Festival.