Sarah Hoogman

The Archive of the Arctic Echoes makes the invisible emission of methane in the Arctic region tangible. The installation is based on underwater recordings of methane bubbles collected during field research in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. These recordings are transformed into a rhythmic soundscape. The multisensory installation combines this sonic layer with 24 embroidered maps, where LED lights illuminate according to the locations where the sounds were captured. The LEDs subtly respond to the soundscape, creating an atmospheric, interactive interplay between light and sound. The work addresses the fragile balance of climate systems and points to the feedback effects of human activity and urgent environmental changes.

Vibrant matter is a visible mist composition that engages with the invisible world of negative ions in space. Using an Air Ion Counter, it measures these ions and translates them into tangible vibrations. This exploration begins at the molecular level, where empty space transforms into a continuous vibration of minuscule particles. This revelation underscores the limitations of human perception and offers insight into why humanity often places itself on a hierarchical top of the Anthropocene, seeing the world solely from our own perspective. The work delves into the perspective of molecular particles, a realm beyond human perception. It makes this microscopic level tangible, guiding viewers from the minutiae of molecules to the grandeur of nature. The message is clear: make room for the chaos of nature and relinquish some control. The work explores the molecular vibrations of negatively charged electrons, which disperse when two water molecules collide (Lenard effect). These electrons then bind to atmospheric atoms, forming negative ions—atoms with extra electrons. Humans continually inhale these negative ions, which appear to stimulate the production of serotonin, our happiness hormone.

Arctic Series explores the invisible and inaudible aspects of methane emissions at the North Pole. During my residency in Spitsbergen, I conducted visual and auditory research on methane emissions caused by the melting of permafrost. I used infrared film for the visual investigation and, through underwater sound recordings, I searched for the frequencys of methane bubbles popping underwater.

Arctic Series explores the invisible and inaudible aspects of methane emissions at the North Pole. During my residency in Spitsbergen, I conducted visual and auditory research on methane emissions caused by the melting of permafrost. I used infrared film for the visual investigation and, through underwater sound recordings, I searched for the frequencys of methane bubbles popping underwater.

Arctic Series explores the invisible and inaudible aspects of methane emissions at the North Pole. During my residency in Spitsbergen, I conducted visual and auditory research on methane emissions caused by the melting of permafrost. I used infrared film for the visual investigation and, through underwater sound recordings, I searched for the frequencys of methane bubbles popping underwater.

Ührilähde series zijn werken, gemaakt tijdens mijn residentie bij Arteles in Haukijärvi. Geinspireerd door de “magic springs”; de Ührilähde. De Ührilähde, een bron waarin het water vlak onder de grond stroomt, oefent een stille maar voelbare druk uit op de bodem. Dit proces laat het zand omhoog borrelen. De borrelende zanddeeltjes weerspiegelen de spanning tussen wat zichtbaar is en wat verborgen blijft.

Ührilähde series zijn werken, gemaakt tijdens mijn residentie bij Arteles in Haukijärvi. Geinspireerd door de “magic springs”; de Ührilähde. De Ührilähde, een bron waarin het water vlak onder de grond stroomt, oefent een stille maar voelbare druk uit op de bodem. Dit proces laat het zand omhoog borrelen. De borrelende zanddeeltjes weerspiegelen de spanning tussen wat zichtbaar is en wat verborgen blijft.

Mijn lopende onderzoek naar (zout)kristallisatie

In EXTENDED UMWWELT Hoogman argues that if we become aware of the fact that everything around us is in constant motion of vibrations, perhaps we would see that we as human beings are only one element of so many more elements in nature. In this way, we could let go of our control over Gaia’s systems and leave more room for nature’s chaos. The experience of receiving vibrations beyond our senses will help us to create a new perception of our human­ centred perspective of the Anthropocene.

My ongoing research on (salt) crystalisation

The sound and frequency vibration that the Noctiluca experiences under water is a sound that goes beyond our human senses. Hoogman build an hydrophone to record the sounds from their natural habitat.

Playing with the scale of time and space: Dans van het Zand (Dance of the Sand) invites you to experience the constant shifts and movements of the dune landscape. Surrounded by infinite sand, guided by an invisible force, nature continues to set the standard. Thanks to: Verbeke Foundation With the support of: Vriendenloterij Fonds Made possible by: Gaby Jacobs, Daan Vandezande, Jilles Oom and Emre Vander Heijden

In Finland, people have believed for centuries in the presence of gnomes, spirits, or elf-like beings that protect the natural and human world. These guardian spirits, known as haltijas, play an important role in Finnish mythology and folklore. One of the best-known haltijas is the saunatonttu, which lives in the sauna and protects it. The forest belongs to everyone, thanks to the Allemansrecht, and it is customary to thank the forest after walking through it. During my residency, I thanked the forest every day. When a tree fell right next to the sauna during a storm, I thanked the saunatonttu. I believed that it was he who had ensured the tree fell beside rather than on the sauna. This work is a tribute to nature and the power of Finnish mythology, made from the wood that itself became a part of this story.