Song of the sea
International artist Sam Hamilton relies heavily on the ocean for his multi-media work, but it wasn’t until he stumbled upon Lincoln City-based Activate Arts that he decided to throw a wider net to find parts for his current project.
The Portland-based visual artist, film-maker and composer will speak at the Lincoln City Cultural Center on Sunday, June 20, about his current project, “To Moana Meridian,” and his part in the Activate Arts summer camp.
“I saw Crystal Akins’ work and a lightbulb went off,” Hamilton said. “The ocean environment is such a big part of my work and my latest project, in particular. These are people that already live at the coast, so it’s constantly present in their lives — to tap into that relationship is exciting to me.”
Originally from New Zealand, Hamilton has shown his work in more than 25 countries, from New York City to the Amazon rainforest, and was featured in the APEX exhibit at the Portland Art Museum in 2017. His work with Activate Arts and Lincoln City children will be to develop a playful, experimental piece of choral music based on the sound of the Pacific Ocean. The video of their performance will be part of a travelling exhibit showing at the Portland Art Museum and the Transmediale Festival of Art and Digital Culture in Germany.
“Only a small percentage of my work is with kids but this particular project drew me,” Hamilton said. “I knew I wanted to work with a youth choir. There is so much more potential for positive change working with kids because there is less unlearning that needs to be done to get where I want to go with them creatively. I want kids to learn as early as possible that you don’t need permission to be creative and to make music and you don’t need training. That kind of natural expression is 100-percent valid.”
The Activate Arts Youth Activism Summer Camp is from Monday, June 21, through Friday, June 25, and is free for all Lincoln and Tillamook County residents.
“Every child can do this,” Akins said. “It’s going to be so exciting. We want people to be able to access things like this and not have funds as a barrier. And because the talk is going to be before the camp, the parents can come and learn more about it.”
The talk begins at 6 pm at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, 540 NE Hwy. 101. Admission is by donation, with all proceeds going to the center. For more information, go to www.activateartsnow.com or call 503-358-6143.