The peaceful village of St. Magleby stands in stark contrast to Copenhagen Airport's busy runway, where only a fence separates the two worlds. Despite the fact that the visual separation is made clear with "no access to unauthorized persons" signs, the resounding echoes of planes taking off regularly penetrate the otherwise quiet landscape. St. Magleby has thus been in the noise zone's red field for decades.

With the work "Augmented Airplanes", composer and sound artist Julie Østengaard transforms the annoying noise into an artistic experience. "Augmented Airplanes" is a site-specific concert in the borderland between the airport runways and St. Magleby. On a path that runs along the fence, Østengaard orchestrates a performance where the music from her electronic instruments plays in harmony with the departing planes.

The flying activity takes on a co-composing role and forms the framework for the music's dramaturgy, which, like a musical score, is synchronized with the recurring cadence of explosive sounds in the sky.
In "Augmented Airplanes", Østengaard also weaves a collection of texts about travel into the soundscape of the airport. The taking off planes become both a visual tableau and a metaphor for the texts, which have been donated by various people for use in the work.
Østengaard not only wants to draw attention to the noise pollution that takes place in the cities, but to invite you to experience this noise in a new context, where it is embraced in an artistic encounter.

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The work was performed at Dragør Culture Night 2023

Commissioned and hosted by REFLEKSIONER, Forening for samtidskunst

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