Patched In (2021) is an art, light, and sound installation inspired by the early days of the global pandemic when the urban environment fell silent, and the voices of songbirds became more audible. The project was developed by musician and composer Kathryn Calder, during her term as Artist in Residence with the City of Victoria, in collaboration with the Victoria Chinese Public School, artists Meghan Hildebrand (mural design) and Jesse Campbell (mural installation and birdhouse design), computer programmers Andrew Schloss and Duncan MacConnell, and musicians Marek Tyler and Eddie Mau.
Organized by Kathryn Calder, this art, light, and sound installation was inspired by the early days of the global pandemic when the urban environment fell silent, and the voices of songbirds became more prevalent.
School children painted wooden birdhouses which hang in the trees and along the wall in the alley. The mural is a patchwork of bright colours reminiscent of a quilt, and reflective of the diversity of tones found in songbird’s calls and in plant life. Twinkle lights thread through the branches of the magnolia trees, turning on when the sun sets, evoking stars in the night sky.
Periodically each day, music composed by Kathryn based on local birdsong can be heard in the space. Kathryn translated each bird’s call into short melodies using synthesizer, piano, and her voice, while gentle chords play underneath referencing ocean and forest habitats.