The Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve is the most important wetland in Portugal. This freshwater ecosystem, with ponds, ditches, agricultural fields and pastures, is the habitat to a vast diversity of birdlife and it’s a key sanctuary for migratory birds to take refuge, feed and nest. It’s also under threat - the proposed construction of a new airport nearby threatens to upset the delicate balance of one of Europe’s most important wetlands, and could cause cross-border impacts.

An immersive listening experience of the Tagus Estuary ecosystem, ‘Wetland’ is a multi channel audio installation created by artist and researcher Cláudia Martinho. Her background as an architect informs her interest in exploring the power of environmental sound and acoustics. Holding a practice-based PhD in Music - Sonic Arts at Goldsmiths, University of London, and with a Master in Urban and Architectural Acoustics from the Sorbonne Université and IRCAM in Paris, she’s now collaborating with the project AUDIRE - Audio Repository: saving sonic-based memories, at the University of Minho.

‘Wetland’ draws on all this experience, showcasing her fascination with the transformational power of sound in expanding sensory perception and consciousness. By spatialising sounds recorded in the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve, she creates an immersive experience that incorporates the natural rhythms of the wetland area, varying with the tides, inviting the listener to slow down, attune to and resonate with this unique ecosystem. In doing so, the artist creates a sense of deep connection and physical closeness with an environment and its biodiversity under threat.
 
Special thanks to the Associação dos Beneficiários da Lezíria Grande de Vila Franca de Xira
Sponsor ADAM Audio 

www.claudiamartinho.net