Nagaras #1

Description

NAGARAS (“drum” or “kettle drum”) is the title of a series of photographs shot on an expedition into the deserts of Oman in December 2008. The work explores a sonic phenomenon that only occurs in a few deserts around the world: The Singing Sands

These particular desert sounds have been witnessed for many centuries by various travelers, including Marco Polo. “Nagaras” is one of the words used in early tales and rumors to describe the phenomenon:

“Between these plains is a small hill in which there is a line of sandy ground, reaching from the top to the bottom of the hill. They called it ‘Khawajeh-reg-rewan’. They say that in the summer season the sound of drums and ‘Nagaras’ issues from this sand.” (Memoirs of Babur, 1590)

“…And so I came at length to the other end of the valley, and there I ascended a hill of sand and looked around me. But nothing could I descry, only I still heard those ‘nagaras’ to play, which were played so marvelously.” (Friar Odoric, 16th century)

The photographs aim to capture momentary visual fragments of the millions of sand grains which, in joint movement, emit such “marvelous” sounds.

Jacob Kirkegaard graduated from the Media Art Academy in Cologne in 2006. His works are released on the TOUCH (UK), Important Records (USA), VON Archives (F) & Posh Isolation labels (DK). Kirkegaard has presented his works at several renowned exhibitions platforms, festivals and conferences all over the world, i.e. MoMA, Issue Project Room & The Stone (NYC, USA), KW & Transmediale (Berlin), The Menil Collection, Rothko Chapel, Museum of Jurassic Technology & Stanford University (USA), Mori Art Museum and Aichi Triennale (Japan) as well as at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, ARoS, Aarhus and Museum for Contemporary Art, Roskilde (DK).