Drilling For Oil | An Immersive Performance

Drilling for Oil | An Immersive Performance – A Day of Exchange, Performance & Reflection

From the first discussions in the afternoon to the final musical notes of the evening, Drilling for Oil | An Immersive Performance brought together over 100 people in an open, participatory exploration of fossil fuel dependency, environmental impact, and artistic response. Beginning with a thought-provoking discussion led by Professor John Wood, the day evolved through sculpture, live music, and spoken word, creating space for deep reflection and shared experience.

On Bawley Bay, the Wavelength Orchestra responded to the movement of the Thames, blending human and natural rhythms in a powerful sonic collaboration. As the sun set, the audience joined a sculptural procession, carrying Alice Helps’ steel oil rig and crab into the Fourth Portal, where immersive projections and live classical music transformed the space. With opera, poetry, and the gentle hum of conversation filling the room, Drilling for Oil concluded as it began—an invitation to engage, reflect, and imagine new possibilities for the future.

Drilling for Oil Discussion, Prof. Emeritus John Wood, Alice Helps, Liam Handley and Naomi Boyle

Opening Discussion: Rethinking Energy and Extraction

The day began with a lively discussion hosted by Professor Emeritus John Wood (Goldsmiths), bringing together artist Alice Helps, plant biologist Dr Liam Handley, and artist Naomi Boyle to explore energy alternatives and the environmental impact of resource extraction.

Set in the informal setting of Fourth Portal, the conversation welcomed input from the audience, reinforcing the venue’s role as a space where art, science, and public discourse intersect. Alice discussed her response to the UK government’s decision to grant new North Sea oil drilling licences, and her BA First-Class dissertation accompanying the sculptures is available to view by pressing the Documentation Page at the bottom of this page. Liam provided insight into the fragility of marine ecosystems and how fossil fuel expansion threatens biodiversity.

Naomi Boyle brought a unique perspective through her passion for clay and natural materials, reflecting on how industries reliant on extraction shape both the environment and artistic practice. Professor Wood steered the conversation towards rethinking our economic reliance on fossil fuels, inviting participants to consider alternative models that promote sustainability and long-term environmental responsibility. His New School Futures project provides a new curriculum for environmental education, building on his earlier Metadesign research and his work developing the first Design Futures MA and department at Goldsmiths, University of London, in 1990.

This interactive exchange set the stage for an afternoon and evening of participatory performances, grounding the event in critical thought while emphasising the role of creativity in addressing urgent environmental challenges.

Clip of talk and audience engagement

Sculptures

Alice Helps’ sculptures explore environmental activism through welded steel, highlighting the tension between industry and nature. Her oil rig sculpture, made from recycled scrap steel, was inspired by her reaction to new oil and gas licences being granted in the North Sea, driving her to question extractive industries and their environmental toll. Alongside it, a towering steel crab, influenced by the Japanese Spider Crab and the evolutionary process of carcinization, confronts viewers with its immense, alien-like presence. Drawing from Louise Bourgeois’ spider sculptures, the crab symbolises deep-sea resilience against human impact. Throughout the installation at the Fourth Portal, projections of digitally sculpted undersea creatures, created in Blender, surround the sculptures, immersing visitors in a world where industry and marine life collide.

Wavelength Orchestra at Bawley Bay

As the tide receded, Bawley Bay transformed into a performance space for the Wavelength Orchestra, an open-access group of musicians brought together to create a slowly evolving, site-specific composition. Led by Richard Sanderson, the orchestra’s score was the natural rhythm of the River Thames, with layers of improvised sound building into a rich, immersive experience.

Musicians of all skill levels joined in—some seasoned, others picking up an instrument for the first time—adding to the orchestra’s organic, ever-changing soundscape. The result was a meditative and powerful auditory experience, captivating both participants and the audience as the sun dipped toward the horizon.

A Procession of Sound and Sculpture

As the final notes faded, the Wavelength Orchestra and audience joined together in a procession, carrying Alice Helps’ steel oil rig and crab sculptures from Bawley Bay into the Fourth Portal. The slow, deliberate movement of the crowd mirrored the steady evolution of the orchestra’s music, creating a moment of transition—from outdoor performance to indoor installation, from public space to intimate reflection.

An Evening of Opera, Classical Music, and Spoken Word

As the sculpture procession entered the Fourth Portal, the evening transitioned into an intimate, multi-layered performance that wove together opera, classical music, poetry, and spoken word.

Rachel, co-owner of the Compass Micro Pub, filled the space with a soaring operatic performance, her voice resonating through the room, meeting the sculptures as if in dialogue with their industrial forms. Accompanying her on piano was Julian Jacobson, one of Britain's most accomplished pianists, returning to the Fourth Portal following his lauded performance in February 2024.

Julian’s set, inspired by rivers and the sea, included works by Debussy and other composers, each piece evoking the movement and power of water—a theme at the heart of the night’s discussion. Poetry and spoken word performances were interspersed throughout, creating a natural ebb and flow between music and language, reinforcing the event’s exploration of our complex relationship with fossil fuels and the environment.

As projections of digitally sculpted marine creatures illuminated the space, the music, words, and visual elements merged into a deeply immersive experience, inviting the audience to reflect, engage, and participate in this unique artistic response to the climate crisis.

Reviews: Capturing the Power of the Evening

The impact of the evening concert and entire day was best expressed through the voices of those who experienced it firsthand. Reviews were incredible, with many describing the event as unlike anything they had attended before—a unique blend of art, discussion, and performance that resonated deeply.

These video reviews from Gravesend residents capture the energy, emotion, and power of the night, highlighting the lasting impression left by the immersive performances, thought-provoking discussions, and the collective experience of music, sculpture, and spoken word at the Fourth Portal.

Event Promo Page

Support

The Fourth Portal would like to thank Gravesham Borough Council for its kind support of Drilling for Oil | An Immersive Performance.