BRISTOL.- Undershed, Watershed's innovative new immersive art gallery, is set to captivate audiences with its upcoming 10-week exhibition, "FRAMERATE: Pulse of the Earth," launching on Friday, May 2nd, 2025. Created by the acclaimed, award-winning artists ScanLAB Projects, the multi-sensory artwork promises a groundbreaking perspective on the impact of human-centred industry and immense forces of nature on our environment. The exhibition is generously supported by Arts Council England.

"FRAMERATE: Pulse of the Earth" reimagines the traditional time-lapse, a familiar tool of natural history documentaries, by harnessing cutting-edge 3D scanning technology. This stunning installation invites viewers to pause, slow down, and consider the future and devastating beauty of our rapidly changing planet.



Within a darkened space, eight screens envelop visitors in a meditative experience, showcasing mesmerizing imagery accompanied by a subtly shifting soundscape. Ordinary yet profound processes are brought to life: the patient growth of a pumpkin, the vibrant burst of spring, the crushing force applied to a thousand tonnes of steel, the ceaseless ebb and flow of sand, the gradual retreat of a coastal cliff, the rhythmic milking of 268 cows, and the rich transformation of leaves into autumnal hues.



Over two years, ScanLAB meticulously documented both the British countryside and urban environments in millimetre-precise 3D detail. This vast 50 TB dataset has been transformed into a unique and immersive artwork offering profound witness to environmental change on a scale that is impossible to see directly with the human eye - or the lens of traditional camera.



Matthew Shaw, co-founder of ScanLAB, explains their vision: "We want our audiences to become truly immersed in these beautiful datasets, to feel the overwhelming reality of an entire cliff eroding before them, and to trace the delicate movement of a single pebble on the beach beneath their feet."



The artwork lays bare the landscape alterations driven by human industry – encompassing destruction, extraction, habitation, construction, harvests, and growth – alongside the relentless forces of erosion. These three-dimensional narratives unfold across the array of screens, underscored by an evocative soundscape.



William Trossell, ScanLAB co-founder, emphasizes the core message: "FRAMERATE' is fundamentally about change, a concept that is global, personal, and often challenging. There is so much anxiety when we consider climate change and our environmental future - so we’ve created a place where people can think deeply and calmly about what’s coming. It’s a gentle place that helps open our mindset so we can focus on hopeful change - in our minds, our lives, and our personal impact."

Amy Rose, Undershed Curator, highlights the artwork's significance: "This artwork challenges and reimagines the way we perceive our world. The distance between our everyday reality and the process of climate change is often too complex to grapple with. It is rare to find artwork that meets this vital challenge of perception - that has so much political consequence - with grace and beauty. And it is a joy to bring such a celebrated piece to Bristol, particularly when it has been loved by audiences all over the world on the festival circuit. ScanLAB Projects are putting contemporary technological tools into the service of art and magic.”



Beyond its artistic merit, "FRAMERATE: Pulse of the Earth" also presents groundbreaking scientific research. The extensive dataset contains empirical evidence utilized by the British Geological Survey to observe and analyze coastal erosion in a new way. The findings from this Innovate UK-funded research and development continue to inform researchers across various universities and institutes in the UK.