Elemental Studies: TJ Norris Unveils a Three-Year Audiovisual Odyssey on Climate, Nature, and the Four Elements

An international collaboration of experimental film and sound explores the fragile balance between humankind and the Earth’s elements.

Multidisciplinary artist TJ Norris announces the release of Elemental Studies, an ambitious three-year project that fuses black-and-white experimental film with original compositions from twelve contemporary electronic sound artists across eighteen countries. Meditating on climate change, biodiversity, and the enduring yet volatile forces of nature, the work offers an immersive reflection on the four classical elements—air, earth, fire, and water.

At its core, Elemental Studies comprises twelve short films, each paired with an original soundtrack, later reinterpreted by twelve additional artists for a “Reworks” collection. Designed as a 4-channel film/sound installation, the project brings together collaborators such as Illusion of Safety, PBK, Mick Chillage, Schneider TM, Das Synthetische Mischgewebe, Andrew Lagowski, Massimo Toniutti, Jos Smolders, Porya Hatami, Darren McClure, Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson, Vitor Joaquim, and Simon Šerc. The Reworks disc expands the dialogue with contributions from Gaël Segalen, Liz Helman, Hilde Marie Holsen, Alessandra Eramo, Femanyst, and others, deepening the project’s sonic and thematic scope.

Norris’s films eschew fearmongering in favor of nuance. Using stark contrasts, surreal juxtapositions, and hypnotic rhythms, his imagery reveals the dual nature of the elements: nurturing and life-giving, yet capable of immense destruction. The accompanying soundscapes amplify this tension, shifting between delicate sonic microscopy and overwhelming drones, between field recordings and fractured electronics.

The result is an immersive audiovisual alchemy—liquid, fiery, airy, and earthy—that evokes both awe and unease.

“This is the time in our history that we must speak for the ailing Earth,” Norris explains. “Climate Change vs. Mother Nature has become uncomfortably imbalanced with a variety of stress and strain, especially in the wake of a world pandemic. The elements each court their own symbolism: air as expansion, earth as stability, fire as energy and rebirth, water as adaptation and fluidity.”

Critic Massimo Ricci of Touching Extremes praises the project as “a symbol of an insightful collective response… a vibratory alchemy strewn together by twenty-four diverse soundtracks and interpretations.”

While envisioned for installation contexts and festival screenings, the sonic component is available as a double album through Carpe Sonum Records, allowing audiences to engage with the work’s layered sound worlds independently. The project’s trailer hints at the stark visual poetry and immersive intensity of the full experience.

About the Artist

TJ Norris is a multidisciplinary artist working across photography, experimental film, installation, and sound. Known for his layered, surreal, and non-narrative approach, his practice explores the intersections of the natural world, human perception, and cultural constructs. His projects frequently involve international collaborations and have been exhibited worldwide. More information at tjnorrisart.com.