‘Warning Song’ exhibited at Goucher College, Baltimore

March 15, 2026

“Mnemosyne: Memory as a Voice for Nature, Explorations into the Contemporary Art of Land Use Interpretation.” 

Artist Naomi Fitzsimmons and Laura Rosser are collaborating on a project exploring fog and obsolescence. An early iteration of their project has been shown at Goucher College, Baltimore. The short film has been edited by Naomi, and acts a  prequel to the film that will be made later this year.

 

Situated at the end of Banjo Pier in Looe, Cornwall, the foghorn acts as a navigational aid and safety device for ships and boats in poor visibility. Positioned high on top of a white, square concrete structure, the horn emits a loud, low-frequency sound to warn vessels of hazards. Somewhere between a muwhhhhaaaaaa and a rrrrrroooooooooyyyyuuuu.

Mist and fog are common along the south coast in Cornwall, where they linger for extended periods, clinging to the rugged coastline. It’s not uncommon to catch the sea fog rolling in, where one minute there was blue sky and the next it was foggy and dense.  However, rising ocean temperatures have seen a dramatic drop in the lingering effect of fog, while more extreme weather thrashes the coastline, calling for new technologies and warning sounds to emerge. With the prospect of new coastal technologies fit to respond to contemporary environmental conditions, this project looks to commemorate the now, somewhat obsolete, fog horn of Looe. 

Naomi and Laura are currently working towards an event with Cornish singers, and a subsequent film exploring oral histories, warning signals and obsolete technologies.  More details to follow….