eavings is an interactive environmental installation created from discarded materials collected in local woodland and public spaces around Charnwood Forest.
Developed in response to increasing levels of littering and fly-tipping during the COVID-19 pandemic, the work transforms waste into a living sculptural environment that invites reflection on our relationship with the natural world. Repurposed materials were cleaned, reshaped and assembled into a series of vine-like forms that spread across a residential property, surrounding trees and the public realm.
The installation incorporated responsive light and sound elements activated through audience interaction. Sensors embedded within the work triggered environmental soundscapes derived from recordings of manipulated litter and found materials, encouraging visitors to engage with the installation through touch, movement and exploration.
Created in collaboration with local residents and school groups, Leavings functioned as both artwork and conversation, using participation as a catalyst for discussions around environmental responsibility, consumption and our collective impact on the landscape.
Leavings marked an important step in my development of responsive installation systems. The project combined sculpture, sound, participation and environmental themes in ways that continue to inform my practice today, laying foundations for later works exploring collective experience, ecological systems and immersive environments.
Installation: Burton Street, Loughborough
Date: July 2021
Artist: Andy Harper
Commissioned by: Vehicle Arts
Supported by: Arts Council England
Featured: BBC Radio Leicester interview, 28.06.2021
Date: July 2021
Artist: Andy Harper
Commissioned by: Vehicle Arts
Supported by: Arts Council England
Featured: BBC Radio Leicester interview, 28.06.2021
BBC Radio Leicester interview 28.06.2021
Litter Soundscape - Sensor #1
Leavings Soundscape - Sensor #3
Leavings Soundscape - Sensor #4
Leavings Soundscape - Sensor #5
Leavings Soundscape - Sensor #6
Leavings Soundscape - Sensor #7
Installation: Burton Street, Loughborough
Duration: July 2021
Artist: Andy Harper
Commissioned by: Vehicle Arts
Support: Arts Council England
Featured: BBC Radio Leicester interview, 28.06.2021
Duration: July 2021
Artist: Andy Harper
Commissioned by: Vehicle Arts
Support: Arts Council England
Featured: BBC Radio Leicester interview, 28.06.2021
Press:
Loughborough Echo - Front Page: pressreader.com/uk/loughborough-echo/20210804/page/1
Loughborough Echo - Page 3: pressreader.com/uk/loughborough-echo/20210804/283021172721241
Photography: With thanks to Jo McLeish - The Media Room
