Vancouver sound artist turns music, stories and science into blueprint for living with nature

Written By Peter Allan

Mendel Skulski field recording at the Strathcona Community Gardens Wetland. Photo submitted by: Mendel Skulski

 

By Patricia Lane & Mendel Skulski

Mendel Skulski applies the art of conversation in service of a livable future. As a sound artist, this young Vancouverite co-produces Future Ecologies, a podcast exploring our relationships with the natural world, layered with stories, science, music and soundscapes. As a community organizer with the False Creek Friends Society, Mendel also works to interconnect the neighbours of the unique inland sea at the heart of the city. Both projects offer the same public invitation: to imagine and take an active part in co-creating a healthier world.

Tell us about Future Ecologies Podcast.

In each episode of the podcast, we aim to take you on a sonic journey that will forever change how you see the natural world. Many people are raised thinking of nature as something passive and separate from their lives as human beings. We tell stories that challenge that assumption. Often they feature Indigenous world views, where active participation is key to thriving ecosystems and thriving people. Millennia of Indigenous stewardship have left countless traces on the landscape, but you have to learn to notice them. One example: sea gardens are places where humans modified the intertidal zone to support abundant food, medicine and biodiversity.

My co-producer Adam Huggins and I constantly experiment with the format, exploring documentary, audio collage and more. Episodes might have one guest voice or dozens, but we always use music and sound design to tell half the story. To quote a recent guest, Margo Robbins, we “take it from a mind-knowing thing to a heart-felt thing.”

Tell us about your work at False Creek.

I got introduced to the False Creek Friends Society (FCFS) when I was invited to produce their new video podcast, Waterbodies. I learned about the issues facing False Creek, and met people who care deeply about it.

I began to understand that False Creek has enormous transformative potential. It is central to Vancouver’s identity yet falls short across many dimensions, including climate resiliency, biodiversity, water quality, civic amenities, safety and aesthetics. It doesn’t live out its potential to support our public physical or cultural health. While the planet may feel out of control, False Creek seems like the perfect scale for people to consider their role in change for the better.

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Peter Allan
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