On Wanting is a new experimental work for domestic space by artist Helena Hamilton. The work is inviting you to alter your domestic environment through the light and sounds emitted from your devices. Helena is interested in how colour and sound, via digital devices, can change our relationship to site; investigating how these can be used as a combined medium to blur the boundaries between the digital and physical.

Using your digital devices, you can experience this work in your own home via a laptop, TV screen or smartphone. The larger the screen and darker the space, the greater impact the colour will have on your physical environment.

The foundation of ‘On Wanting’ is the nursery rhyme A Farmer Wants a Wife, recorded from one of her child’s toys. Helena uses this rhyme because of the issues it raises, one being that everyone seems to immediately get what they want, continual instant gratification. In jest, she has time-stretched it multiple times, doing so created drones which have been used as the basis of this work. Other layers of audio included are soundtracks from around the home. Each sample reflects personal joyful moments when wanting is neutralized by the magnificent banality of the everyday. Such as rain, birds and Rice Krispies. The final audio sample is pencil on paper. Helena utilised the sound of mark making whilst listening to the drones to dictate the speed, location and duration of each mark. Primarily following the sound rather than the visual.

Please note: if experiencing on a smartphone/laptop it is advised to listen to the audio with headphones.

On Wanting is currently part of the Centre for Contemporary Art, Derry (CCA) public programme event and will be available throughout Sep 2022 and can be experienced here: https://www.ccadld.org/public-programme/on-wanting