Artist
Sophie Allerding

Title
Echoes of Extinction

Budget CBK Rotterdam
€ 6.000,00

Request type
I&V subsidy

The loss of biodiversity is often portrayed through figures and facts, leaving little room for the complex emotions this can evoke. An ominous silence resonates increasingly often in nature. Under the working title 'Echoes of Extinction', Sophie Allerding makes these extinct species resonate through communal singing, a ritual that offers space for mourning and connection, but also for resistance. Inspired by archival recordings of extinct species, Allerding aims to strengthen her vocal range and improvisation skills and transform them into 'embodied scores'. The project also gives her the opportunity to expand her technical knowledge in the fields of pattern making, textile construction, and the integration of silicone and bio-based materials into wearable sculptures. By expanding the human body with non-human features, such as webbed feet and wings, Allerding investigates how an altered corporeality influences perception, communication, and movement. The project concludes with a series of prototypes for wearable sculptures and vocal scores, and initial experiments to bring them together.