Chirp & Drift by Kathy Hinde is a flock of illuminated instruments that chatter in morse code messages combining ideas around birdsong, language and music. Gentle tones and harmonies are made by accordion reeds hidden within each ‘bird’. As they move, air is pressed through the reeds, reminding the listener of the delicate and fragile state of the environment and our own health. The installation translates the names of local birds into musical morse code through a musical system devised by the artist, which is almost impossible to decipher. A playful probe into questions around interspecies communication, messages being obscured by interference, mis-interpretations and speculations around birds singing purely to enjoy making music.
