Large-scale projection, sound and light installation at St Mary’s Church, Portsmouth, UK. Commissioned by St Mary’s Church, Portsmouth and Fratton Together with support from Arts Council England, Portsmouth Creates and the University of Portsmouth.
Using a fusion of archival imagery, high-speed film, microscopy, photogrammetry and 3D laser scans of St Mary’s Church, ‘Once a Sea’ takes the viewer on an infinitesimal journey through time and space to explore the materiality of the architecture and history of St Mary’s Church and the wider area of Portsmouth from the perspective of deep, geological time.
The title of the work alludes to a period over 35 million years ago when Portsmouth was covered by warm shallow sea and the older fossilized marine life that makes up the chalk and flint cliffs of Portsdown Hill was a deep ocean. The area around St Mary’s was once the highest part of Portsea Island and one of the first pieces of land to emerge from the retreating water. The present building, standing on one of the oldest church sites of the island, is built from flint and concrete, materials largely derived from fossilized sea life.
Today as we face the challenges of global warming and rising sea levels it is not so difficult to imagine a time in the future when the island of Portsea will once again return to the sea. ‘Once a Sea’ is a reflection upon the impermanence of life within the context of Portsmouth, St Mary’s Church and a deeper time.
Once a Sea first premiered and launched Portsmouth’s We Shine 24 Light Festival. It was on display every evening from 21st – 27th November 2024. A programme of themed activities ‘Beside the Sea’ took place alongside the work ranging from dance performances and an organ improvisation.
Link here for further information about the research and development of Once a Sea.
Link here to view the film Once a Sea.
Credits:
- Samples of organ music: Brain Moles, Organist and Director of Music at St Mary’s, Portsea.
- Archival imagery: St Mary’s Church, Portsea.
- 3D Laser scan of church: Clifford Phillips, Senior Technician at CCIXR, Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): Thanks to Senior Lecturers Dr. Mark Hardiman, Dr. Mariem Saavedra-Pellitero and Technical Specialist, Josepth Dunlop at the School of the Environment & Life Sciences for facilitating and providing technical support to the artists to use the school’s Tescan Mira 3 FEG-SEM to image local chalk and flint samples.
- AV Technical set up: White Light and lighting technician Nick Humphrey.
