Jen Valender

CLEARFELL 2025

Clearfell documents the transformation of an antique ABC TV satellite tripod into an Aeolian harp, a sculptural instrument activated by the wind. The materials used reflect the site’s layered history as a former clearfell logging tramway, referencing archival photographs. Harp bow horsehair and a brass amplifier materially echo the harnesses of these horse-drawn trams, while steel elements mirror the fittings used on timber trolleys, and salvaged wood recalls the felled Otway forests. The film features a performance between harpist Genevieve Fry and the sculpture, offering audiences a cinematic experience of the dynamic interplay between performer, artwork and site. In Clearfell, the wind becomes both performer and sound-maker, collaborating with live performers in an ephemeral exchange of sound and movement. The project renders the intangible—air currents and harmonic frequencies—tangible, fostering deep listening to the airscape and landscape.

Clearfell 2025, excerpt

Image: Jen Valender, Clearfell 2025, still from single channel, colour film. Courtesy of the artist.