Sensing the Environment in Art and Music is organised by two PhD students at the University of York Xinrui Zhang and Chantal Berry. 

Xinrui Zhang's research project examines how a green public sphere is represented in contemporary artworks in response to the ecological crisis in China, with a specific focus on air and water pollution. She received an MA History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art and a BA History of Art (Asia, Africa and Europe) from SOAS. Before starting her PhD at the University of York, she worked as a curator in London.
xz1118@york.ac.uk

Chantal Berry is currently researching historical acoustic ecology, or the sounds and rhythms of human-nature relationships between c.1550–c.1750. Considering how changes in human activity have altered natural soundscapes and consequent human perceptions of the natural world, her research also looks to communicate experiences of ‘the natural’ through sonic recreations of past environments.

​

Between 2017–2020, Chantal studied at the University of Leeds School of Music for a BA in Music, and focussed upon electro-acoustic composition and notation, engaging with artistic approaches to convey philosophical ideas about nature, largely by electronically editing field recordings and employing compositional techniques such as plunderphonics and musique concrète. Whilst undertaking an MA in Renaissance and Early Modern Studies at the University of York, her interest in acoustic ecology developed from explorations of modern sound, into historical sound, and has led her to research how retrospective applications of acoustic ecology might contribute to developing scholarship in soundscape conservation and architectural acoustics.

 

Chantal is also a freelance musician, playing the piano, organ and singing mezzo-soprano, most often found in church quire stalls.

ceb610@york.ac.uk

​

Sensing the Environment in Art and Music aims to create a multidisciplinary dialogue on climate change. It focuses on the intersections of art and music to extend interdisciplinary conversations taking place within the study of the environment. It will have three thematic talks, with a one-hour session per week in July 2022. It is funded by the Humanities Research Centre at the University of York and is supported by Professor Michael White and Dr Ana Bilbao Yarto, University of York.

The organisers are sincerely grateful to our sponsor: the Humanities Research Centre, University of York.