Sci/Art Collaboration at the University of Nevada, Reno, Lake Tahoe

Tahoe Science Bouy, Brant Allen, UC Davis

Finally coming home to Lake Tahoe to make some work about the place that has inspired and nurtured me since I was a teenager. Thank you UNR Lake Tahoe for connecting me with two new collaborators, limnologist (lake scientist) Professor Sudeep Chandra, and Professor, digital media artist, Tyler Calkin! We are meeting several times over the next 3 months to develop a project about the magnificent Tahoe Basin. I’m particularly excited about using my new hydrophone for this project. I just used it yesterday in the creek near by place. I love hearing the sound of pebbles hitting the mic. I recorded above water as well and the difference is the hydrophone recording feels more immersive, no surprise there. It feels like the sound is in your ears. While the regular mic sound more spread out, and of course it captures the birds, my movements, the sound of I5 3 miles up the road….

I also hope to do some underwater filming! Not sure how to accomplish that yet. We are still developing our project but I’m particularly curious about the deepwater forests of Lake Tahoe and the endemic species that live and feed there. We are discussing scale, a tale of two forests, over-tourism, and fire season. Our first hour long conversation flew by. I’ll post more inspo as it happens. Next week I travel to Tahoe to start capturing audio and video. Time to bust out my wetsuit! The lake is COLD, about 44 degrees… But freezing is 32. Yikes! This will be thrilling for sure.