Speculative listening: melting sea ice and new methods of listening with the planet

Abstract

In this paper we speculate on ways of listening with the planet as a way of producing multisensory knowledges of climate change. ‘Listening’ is a visceral experience that helps us consider the intricate, deeply entangled relations between human and non-human worlds through multisensory attentions. We draw on Oliveros’ notion of ‘deep listening’ and methodological experimentation to explore and speculate about the effects of climate change in the polar regions. Such speculative practices are informed by audio recordings of the movement of iceberg and glaciers, sea ice measurements and satellite imagery of the Antarctic and Arctic. By experimenting with the mergers of scientific data and creative practices we suggest that practices of listening make experiences of multiscalar climate change in distant places visceral and immersive.