Your Cart is Empty
"The Quiet Forest" by Wolfe Erikson
17 x 4 inches
Sculpture: Wire, embroidery floss, Arduino micro-controller, alder bark
NFS
Artist Statement:
I am exploring how the sonic qualities of Pacific Northwest forests might shift in a changing climate. These forests are among the quietest places in the United States, thanks in part to lichen—symbiotic colonies of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria that absorb moisture, filter air, and dampen sound like living sponges.
As the climate changes, the diversity of lichen species may shift, altering not only the ecology but also the soundscape of these forests. Prolonged exposure to excess environmental noise is linked to tinnitus, elevated blood pressure, and increased stress vulnerability.
The Quiet Forest uses sound and light to investigate the hidden sonic relationships between humans and our natural environment, inviting reflection on how the loss of ecological quiet might affect both the land and our own nervous systems.
About the Artist:
Wolfe Henry Erikson (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist and designer based on Harstine Island. Blending somatic practice, ecology, and digital experimentation, their work examines how the human body and natural systems shape possible futures of care and connection. Wolfe received Core77’s Design for Social Impact award for IN—JOY, a digital community supporting people living with disability.