Sarah Blumel is a multimedia artist and July resident of DARC’s Expanded Practice Residency.
In collaboration with Montréal-based theatre practitioner Anisa Cameron, she created Wind Up Radio, using music and video to address the collective looming anxieties of late-stage capitalism while offering some levity.
“With the help of a Casio keyboard and the internet, we create videos and original music about the things that scare us the most: fire, flood, drought, famine, the breakdown of civilization, sentient AI, the rich abandoning the earth for mars; the future. Oh, and also, it’s a good time!”
Wind Up Radio was selected as the Diefenbunker’s 2023 Artist-in-Residence. Currently, Sarah is spending three weeks at DARC developing interactive video and sound installations that will be on display at Canada’s Cold War museum in the fall.
“We’ve been exploring what it means to be prepared for an uncertain future in the face of climate change and global economic collapse by making connections to the Cold War preparedness at the Diefenbunker. But don’t worry; we can spin even the most terrifying ideas into a good time. As they say, ‘if you’re not laughing, you’re crying,’ and we’d like to share a good laugh as the ship of humanity goes down.”
The project is packed with nostalgia, nailing its “DIY, future from the past aesthetic,” as Sarah describes it. The duo uses vintage drum machines and keyboards to achieve an 80s-inspired sound. Their music videos are retro collages of historical and fictional events, including footage from NASA, environmental disasters, and science fiction media. The online gallery also links to educational resources covering topics such as climate change and how to build an emergency grab-and-go bag.
Sarah brought Wind Up Radio to the Expanded Practice Residency to overcome technical limitations and improve her skills. The residency provides Sarah with access to DARC’s equipment and facilities, and professional support.
“The team at DARC has been so generous over these last three weeks! Laura, D and Mel listened carefully to my challenges, did research, offered solutions and helped me understand what gear and technology we might need to make our exhibition happen. Ben spent hours patiently walking me through Davinci Resolve, and I am happy to report I have graduated out of iMovie. Olivia and Emily made sure we had what we needed at the Soundstage and answered all our questions while we were onsite. I could not be more grateful for their support.”
“The residency has surpassed my expectations by offering access to a skillful and supportive team of people who shared their expertise in a way that made me feel like I could do it too. I’ll leave these three weeks better equipped and fully encouraged!”
Experience Wind Up Radio’s virtual gallery at hellowindupradio.com, and visit Sarah and Anisa’s exhibit at the Diefenbunker from October 20, 2023, to February 4, 2024.
(Header Image: L to R, Sarah Blumel and Anisa Cameron, photo credit Ian Cameron)
