Ceramic Sea-flute
Much of my current practice is influenced by oral story telling traditions and folklore. This tradition is closely aligned with music. I wanted to explore bringing soundscapes into my work. I began making vessel flutes, I was interested in their connection to breath, life, and orality.
I developed a concept of the sea-flute as an instrument activated through interaction with the environment, a kind of dialogue with the water.
The sound is produced by plunging the vessel into water. The trapped air builds pressure and is expelled through a whistle. Pnuema appears to mimic breathing as it is drawn from and pushed into water.
The word Pneuma comes from Greek, and it means breath. It is the word used in Christian scripture as spirit.
Jim Lockey 