Western Line by David Cowlard & Andrew Moon / RST

Western Line is an audio-visual installation which ran through Sept - Oct 2023 at the Audio Foundation.

The audio recordings used in the show, comprised of environmental field recordings, interwoven with experimental guitar based improvisations, are presented here in digital form and limited cassette (Movements 1 and 2).

Two additional pieces created for the project are also made available and included in the digital download.

Western Line:
A city symphony by David Cowlard and Andrew Moon/RST

The Western Line is the railway line that runs from the city centre of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to the outer suburb of Swanson, and back again.

Thousands of people ride the railway on their daily commute. A journey by train allows for a unique experience of the city. Architecture is seen in part, often at speed. The railway cuts through closely packed urban housing, light industry, suburban homes and out into the greener rural landscapes. Graffiti merges with street signs and billboards, and rail passengers view this flickering landscape while thinking of other things, other images.
Western Line expands this fragmented terrain and explores the aural and visual moments where the railway intersects the urban fabric. City and soundscape are interwoven to match the situational experience from the window of the train while also responding to the rhythms of daily life.

David Cowlard is a filmmaker, photographer and sound artist. His interdisciplinary practice explores new approaches to architectural representation and includes work across a number of media including short-form video, photography and urban field recording. He has a particular interest in exploring how moving image and sound can inform a wider critical engagement with architecture and the built environment. His video and audio work has been featured in galleries in Auckland and internationally and has featured in film festivals and screenings.
David is Programme Leader for Photo Media at Whitecliffe and is the co-director of PhotoForum NZ.

Andrew Moon / RST is an experimental musician and recording artist.

Tracklist

1.	Movement 1	6:29

2.	Movement 2	12:03

3.	Movement 3	4:36

4.	Movement 4	7:16

Credits

released November 6, 2023

License