Brighid Black presents a speculative, interdisciplinary enquiry into future human cohabitation with earthothers. This performance is an experiment in placing objects (stones), from a particular rural environment, in an urban artspace, and by doing so, extending the relational field in which they operate. The ritual of placing the stones, speaking and singing the names of flora and fauna of the area, and appealing to a guardian spirit of place from local folklore, was completed by those taking part banging and rattling noise-producing objects; tin cans, shells and a plastic bucket. A still image of the sky from the entrance to the cave where the spirit (Hobthrush) is said to dwell, was projected in the recess behind parted blackout curtains, forming another connection with the actual site.
This performance is developed as part of a series of works made at archaeological sites, on Orkney and in Teesdale in the North Pennines. Singing Over the Bones was part of the practice-based research element of my Master of Research project undertaken at Northumbria University.