CASTING A NEW GEOLOGIC RECORD: A multi-stage installation envisioned for Iceland's lava fields. STAGE ONE Research into the history of volcanic eruption on and around the island will help determine the prime places to begin, ideally channels where lava has flowed freely in the past and would likely flow again were there to be another eruption (between five and seven locations). These locations will be determined through consultation with Icelandic geologic experts and Volcanologists. Then I will conduct a series of site visits to familiarize myself with the landscape and get to know the sounds and acoustic qualities of each location. During this time I will meet with various poets, storytellers, or singers invited to participate in the recordings. These meeting will serve to develop creative bonds and outline the nature, location, and scheduling of upcoming on-location performances. Then a series of concerts would be recorded at each location. The inclusion of local vocalists is important because their words and observations will eventually become a part of the land itself, a testament to Icelandic people and their remarkable partnership with the environment. These concerts will be improvised, performed as aural explorations, interacting with the distinct ambient sounds present at each site. Digital recordings will be made of these duet soundscapes. At this point, a small exhibition featuring a project outline, photographs, video documentation and sound recordings should be held for the public. STAGE TWO This stage begins with the development of a lathe which can inscribe sound information in large grooves suitable for casting in stone. This may be achieved by physical magnified inscription or through 3-dimensional computer imaging. The latter would involve scanning the surface of a standard vinyl record, mapping the grooves, and using a computer aided modeling machine (like those used in marble fabrication) to carve the five foot diameter positives. These large records would serve as the basis for negative molds cast in metal with an extremely high melting point, such as tungsten, which could withstand the lava's intense heat. Since these metals are often highly corrosive, and react quickly upon exposure to the elements, the final molds will be coated with a release agent and a thick layer of wax. These molds will subsequently be transported inland and installed in the exact locations where the performances were held, in places where lava is expected to flow during future volcanic activity. They will be sheltered in structures designed to shield them from the initial blast of tephra commonly associated with Icelandic eruptions. These installations will be integrated into the environment, providing shelter for wildlife, protecting plants, creating pools from rainwater, etc... It is important that they be beneficial contributions to the landscape as they may lie in wait for years to come. Their locations will be precisely noted. During the waiting period it may be necessary to perform annual maintenance of the installation sites, although I plan to construct them so they become integral elements of the surrounding landscape over time. This period could also be used to develop small environmental arts tours to highlight the project and explore environmental issues central to Iceland. STAGE THREE When one of the volcanoes eventually erupts and lava encroaches on an installation, the wax covering will quickly melt away from radiant heat allowing the lava to cast itself into the shape of the original master record. Then, in the days and weeks to come, the cast must be located, carefully excavated, and separated from the mold. It will emerge as a large stone, imprinted with a physical record of the sounds and stories performed either months or years prior, in the very place where this new rock would eventually form. These sound stones could then be installed in museums and public spaces on large acoustic turntables. These victrola-like players when spun by the public, will reveal the historied sounds molded by the earth itself. The recordings may not be crystal clear of course, but they will be a mix of music, text, natural sound, and contributions made by each successive step in the process of becoming. The minerals in the lava, the rate of cooling, and the weather on the day of the eruption will influence the eventual surface texture of the rocks and determine the sound of the completed record. The result is a collaboration between myself (a visiting artist), the Icelandic people (cultural and scientific organizations, poets, industry, the public), and earth itself. The final casts will stand as permanent records of Iceland's continuing cultural and geologic evolution.