DRILLING FOR OIL | AN IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE

An afternoon and evening of performance and discussion open to everyone, for free, discussing the decision of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to grant licences to begin drilling for new oil in the North Sea. 

**What to Expect**

The evening features the return of the popular Wavelength Orchestra (watch), performing around an oil rig sculpture and steel crab, created by artist Alice Helps on Bawley Bay Beach.

As the sun sets, projections of sea creatures,  which Alice 3D modelled and animated using Blender software, will illuminate the exterior of St Andrew's Waterside Mission Church, Gravesend. 

Following sunset, a short procession of the orchestra and audience will carry the oil rig and crab into the Fourth Portal.  

Set around the sculptures with projections filling the wall, anyone wishing to recite a gentle poem or spoken word will be welcomed while the audience chats over drinks.  Pianist Julian Jacobson will briefly perform a few classical river and sea compositions. 

Before the Wavelength Orchestra's performance, Professor John Wood will host a discussion with artist Alice Helps and the audience on the environmental impact of our resource-extraction-based economic model.

**Event Outline**

Approximate schedule for the day.

Afternoon from 3pm

• Prof. John Wood (Goldsmiths) hosts a discussion on energy alternatives with artist Alice Helps, plant biologist Dr Liam Handley and clay lover, artist Naomi Boyle plus other guests (tbc) and the audience - all invited
• Sculpture installed on Bawley Bay beach following high tide.
• Short Wavelength Orchestra workshop - all invited.

Early evening from 5.30pm

• Wavelength Orchestra performance begins
• Sunset opera with Rachel from the Compass Ale House
• Sculpture procession into the Fourth Portal
• Sculptures, projections, spoken word, soft performance
• Pianist Prof. Julian Jacobson plays some short piano pieces about our rivers and seas
• -- End approximate 10.45pm --

** Wavelength Orchestra **

Following on from the two well-attended Wavelength Orchestra performances during summer 2023, we expect an even larger ensemble to return to Bawley Bay (next to the Fourth Portal) for another evening of sound-making.  

** To participate **

The Fourth Portal and orchestra lead Richard Sanderson, extend a warm welcome to everyone to join the Wavelength Orchestra. 

Previous performances in 2023 saw more than 60 people create a gentle, ambient and joyous wall of sound, captivating participants, audience and passersby, creating a meditative and relaxing atmosphere. 

• See June 2023 performance 
• See August 2023 performance

The performance is free to attend and additional performers are sought, of any age right up to the beginning of the performance. 

Requirements

A portable instrument, which doesn't need mains electricity, and to attend a short workshop in the Fourth Portal at 4.30 before the performance. 

All skill levels are welcome, from none to professional. 

___

**Artists, Musicians and Speakers**

Artist Alice Helps

Artist Alice Helps felt helpless at the news that former UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak had granted licences for new oil drilling in the North Sea.  With evidence mounting on the impact manmade emissions are causing to the climate across the planet, Alice felt a deep need to respond artistically.  The work presented at the Fourth Portal throughout August was Alice's reaction and formed her final BA Fine Art show at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. 

Alice is a mixed-media Fine Artist based in the UK. Her work explores the complexities of the environment and the relationships between nature, humans and technology.  Her practice is currently concerned with making visual pieces that start conversations about climate change, in particular how the UK's government is awarding new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, damaging marine ecosystems.

The Wavelength Orchestra

The Wavelength Orchestra is an open-access group of musicians brought together to perform a long-form, slowly evolving piece of music - the score of which is the River Thames breaking on the beach.

John Wood

John Wood (b. 1945) is Emeritus Professor of Design at Goldsmiths College, University of London. From the mid-1970s onward he created several solar energy devices and published on a range of environmental topics. As Deputy Head of the Fine Art Department at Goldsmiths (1978-1988) he taught many well known YBAs ('Young British Artists'), later launching the first undergraduate (1989) and postgraduate design degrees (1995). These were unusual at the time for making ethical and environmental issues central to its teaching. These programmes subsequently became the basis for today's design department. His (AHRC and EPSRC funded) research into metadesign (2005-2009) led to the setting up of The Metadesign Research Centre (Swansea University) and many publications including Metadesigning Designing in the Anthropocene.

Julian Jacobson

One of Britain's finest pianists, Julian Jacobson returns to Gravesend following his lauded performance in February 2024, when the audience was engrossed and glowing in their post-event reviews. Julian's short performance will be set around pieces relating to the river, sea and the environment.

Richard Sanderson

Richard Sanderson is a multidisciplinary sound and recording artist, record producer and promoter working across multiple music genres and interested in community-orientated approaches to new music. He was a director of the London Musicians Collective for over ten years. He is also a Morris dancer.