Owl Project
Owl Project are Steve Symons, Simon Blackmore and Antony Hall and they work in sound, performance and sculpture, often creating digital sounds from objects made from wood.Their work explores the relationship between technology, consumer products and sound with a focus on the craft of woodworking.
Owl Project were in residence at Manchester Museum as part of ‘Invisible Dust in Museums’ in 2015.
“Post Pansonic uppercase electronica” – The Wire magazine, Nov, 2008
“The Owl Project are a wonderful combination of inventiveness, precision, lateral thinking and single-minded quirkiness” – Tim Marlow, White Cube Gallery 2009
Owl Project have performed and exhibited internationally. In 2014 their project ‘Sound Lathe’ continues to be shown as part of ‘Sound Matters’ a touring show curated by the crafts council and they have been commissioned by ‘Barnaby Arts Festival’. In 2013 they were commissioned by Mid Pennine Arts to make ‘K-Scope’ a site specific installation at Turton Tower, Blackburn, and also solo show at Bildmuseet Umea, Sweden.
Previous performances have been shown at Les Urbaines Festival (Lausanne, Switzerland), SARC, (Belfast, Ireland) as part of ISEA 2009, and a solo show at Lydgalleriet, Bergen, Norway, 2008. Sound Lathe 2005 installation/performance became headline act at the Sonic Arts Network EXPO 2006 event in Manchester. In 2007 Owl Project were commissioned by Lovebytes, Sheffield, to produce ‘chair’ using the Sound Lathe, with the renowned green woodworker Mike Abbott. Sound Lathe was shortlisted & exhibited for the SHARE prize (Torino, IT) 2008. In 2009 they won Urbis’s ‘Best of Manchester Award’.
‘~Flow’ (with Ed Carter as creative producer) was a specially created tidemill, a floating building on the river Tyne in Newcastle which enabled sound to be created from the river’s tide and for the public to create their own music. ‘~Flow’ generated its own power using a tidal water wheel. The audience could experience electro acoustic musical machinery and instruments which responded to the constantly changing environment of the river, generating sound and data. One of twelve extraordinary commissions selected by the Arts Council’s ‘Artists taking the lead’ North East commission, as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. ‘~Flow’ attracted around 50,000 visitors during its six months on the river Tyne.
Image: Owl Project at Manchester Museum, 2016