Serena Korda. Missing Time

About

Korda is the 2016-17 Norma Lipman & BALTIC Fellow in Ceramic Sculpture at Newcastle University, a two-year residency that culminates in this exhibition.

During her fellowship, Korda has drawn inspiration from her location and the people she has met. She has become fascinated by the sound of stars from the dark skies of Northumberland, only audible with specific radio devices, and the pre-radar acoustic sound mirrors dotted along the North East coastline that attempted to detect the sound of enemy planes up until 1919.

During her research, Korda has explored planetary harmonics using homemade radio telescopes to pick up the sound of our galaxy. The particular frequencies derived from the planets, otherwise known as the ‘Music of the Spheres’, were believed during the Renaissance period to have a direct effect on the human psyche. Inspired by these different ways of listening, the potential healing power of sounds and their use as a way of communicating, Korda has created a series of large ceramic dish-shaped portals that act as sound resonators. Working alongside North East-based a capella group Mouthful (Katherine Zeseron, Bex Mathers, Dave Camlin and Sharon Durant), Korda has created a sound work that plays with the harmonics of each portal and a powerful live performance that touches on invisible forces, consciousness and what lies beyond planet Earth.