Alluvial Gold began with a series of conversations between visual artist Erin Coates, composer/sound designer Stuart James and me about what could happen if we made a work together in what we called a ‘non-discipline-dominant’ way: ensuring the experiences and perspectives from each practice informed all aspects of the project, and integrating the visual and the sonic into one. What kind of interdisciplinary result could we find? Could we make a modular work, where each component could be presented as or in a performance, and a film, and an exhibition? 

Alluvial Gold Louise Devenish

Louise Devenish performing Alluvial Gold. Photo © Edify Media.

For seven years, I ran the percussion studio at The University of Western Australia. The Conservatorium of Music is right on the river, and I would often take my lunch there, staring across the surface while I thought about repertoire for my students. It was not unusual to see pods of dolphins in the middle of the day. Erin is a skilled free diver, who spends a lot of time below the surface, which often inspires her work. With Stuart, we decided to take the Derbarl Yerrigan/Swan River...