Swallow Walk
Swallow Walk
by Ria Soemardjo and Sandra Fiona Long
Swallow Walk is an audio-guided experience of Edwardes Lake in Reservoir, inspired by the lake’s environment and its migratory birds including the Welcome Swallows that flit over the lake, especially at springtime.
Wearing headphones connected to your personal device, enter a contemplative space as you are lead by a multilayered and poetic sound track featuring the sublime vocals of Ria Soemardjo and text by Sandra Fiona Long.
Swallow Walk is available to download and experience as a self-guided tour at Edwardes Lake from 1 – 29 November.
Live performances of Swallow Walk will also take place at Edwardes Lake over the FUSE closing weekend, 27 & 28 November. Designed for one to three audience members at a time, the audio-guided experience will interact with live gamelan compositions inspired by the patterns of nature found at the lake and performed by musicians from Gamelan DanAnda: Jeremy Dullard, Ron Reeves, Natalia Gould, John Cheong-Holdaway, Christopher De Groot and Ria Soemardjo. Bookings essential.
Please note that the live performances strictly comply with current COVID regulations and can be enjoyed safely by all participants.
Swallow Walk was commissioned for HYPERLOCAL – a new series of immersive art works that invites audiences to see Darebin differently.
Ria Soemardjo and Sandra Fiona Long
Sandra and Ria’s recent work together has focussed on creating sound worlds based in vocal composition emulating environments, utilising text as a base. They are interested in creating a space of heightened listening and holding space for contemplation, drawing awareness to the natural environment.
| RIA SOEMARDJO - MUSICIAN/COMPOSER/ CO-CREATOR | Ria Soemardjo is a Melbourne based musician with a passion for collaborating with artists across diverse range of genres and artforms. Born in Melbourne, her distinct, haunting vocals and instrumental compositions reflect her Australian/Indonesian cultural heritage. Over the last 10 years, Ria has created and performed music for a wide range of independent contemporary dance, theatre and mixed media projects in Australia and Asia. Her recent projects reflect her interest in engaging audiences in powerful contemporary performance/rituals, often in response to a specific site. |
| SANDRA FIONA LONG - WRITER/PERFORMER/CO-CREATOR | Sandra Fiona Long is a writer and creator across performance, installation and sound based works. She recently wrote and directed Hades Fading with Indonesian company Mainteater with composer Ria Soemardjo. Other highlights include writer and performer in ‘Birdcage Thursdays’ in the Big West Festival, regional Victoria and fortyfivedownstairs, vocal solo ‘Pancake Opus’ La Mama Theatre, ‘The Temple of the Wind’ installation Coburg Carnivale 2018, vocal work Duets for Lovers and Dreamers (recipient Ross Trust Script Development award), 'The Beaufort Wind Lounge' installation FOLA 2014 with Ria Soemardjo, and collaborating with Indonesian company Mainteater for 23 years. |
Event & ticketing details
Sold OutAccessibility
Dates & Times
| Self-guided Audio Tour | 1 November - 29 November |
| Live Performance Season | 27 & 28 November - 5pm - 8pm (sessions start every 10 mins and run for approximately 30 mins). Bookings essential. |
Location
Edwardes Lake Park
Griffiths St and Edwardes St, Reservoir VIC 3073
Get directionsTrain
Reservoir StationBus
558, 553Event notes
Self-guided Audio Tour
The audio guide is now available to download from the Swallow Walk website. You will need a personal device and headphones in order to experience this work.
Live Performance Season
The live performance experience of this work is designed for one audience member at a time (or up to a maximum of three members from a maximum of two households). Each participant will need a personal device and headphones in order to experience this work. Places are strictly limited and bookings are essential. FUSE Darebin reserves the right to cancel this Live Performance Season at any time if required in order to adhere to current COVID-19 restrictions, or in the event of adverse weather.
Audience Safety
FUSE Darebin is committed to keeping audiences and artists safe. Please ensure that you adhere to current COVID-19 restrictions when experiencing this work - carry a mask (and wear it if required), maintain good personal hygiene and practice physical distancing.
Wheelchair Access
The majority of the Swallow Walk route is on sealed, wide footpaths with low gradient, however there are two sections (approximately 90 metres and 100 metres respectively) which are unsealed. The surface of the 90 metre section is a mix of dirt/gravel and grass, but is reasonably even. The surface of the 100 metre section is graded and even. There are alternative paths available also. Please contact us if you would like further information about the pathway, including photos, or if you would like guidance about an alternative route.
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