Menu was created collaboratively with marine scientist Julie McInnes of IMAS. I was able to access the DNA data that her team used to identify four principal marine predator species – Short Tailed Shearwaters; Shy Albatross, Long-nosed fur seals and Australian Fur Seals. The team collected the scats of these predators at various remote island sites, over a range of seasons, which allowed them to identify the various species comprising their diet by DNA analysis.
My (lighthearted) approach has been to convert the short DNA sequences of both predator and prey into musical notation, and hence into short compositions, where each DNA I.D. is assigned to a different instrument. This material is then displayed graphically like the clipboard menus used by cafes and bistros.
Images of the species sit alongside their DNA identities and corresponding short musical compositions, which are accessed via QR codes.

'Learning Otherwise' collective exhibition at FBAUL, 5-25 February 2026.

Original language	English
Place of Publication	FABUL Gallery, Lisboa, Portugal
Publisher	SonicObjects; SonicArchitecture
Size	2.5m x 2.5m
Publication status	Published - 8 Feb 2026

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title = "Menu",

abstract = "Menu was created collaboratively with marine scientist Julie McInnes of IMAS. I was able to access the DNA data that her team used to identify four principal marine predator species – Short Tailed Shearwaters; Shy Albatross, Long-nosed fur seals and Australian Fur Seals. The team collected the scats of these predators at various remote island sites, over a range of seasons, which allowed them to identify the various species comprising their diet by DNA analysis. My (lighthearted) approach has been to convert the short DNA sequences of both predator and prey into musical notation, and hence into short compositions, where each DNA I.D. is assigned to a different instrument. This material is then displayed graphically like the clipboard menus used by cafes and bistros. Images of the species sit alongside their DNA identities and corresponding short musical compositions, which are accessed via QR codes. 'Learning Otherwise' collective exhibition at FBAUL, 5-25 February 2026. ",

author = "Nigel Helyer and Julie McInnes",

year = "2026",

month = feb,

day = "8",

language = "English",

publisher = "SonicObjects; SonicArchitecture",

}

TY - ADVS

T1 - Menu

AU - Helyer, Nigel

A2 - McInnes, Julie

PY - 2026/2/8

Y1 - 2026/2/8

N2 - Menu was created collaboratively with marine scientist Julie McInnes of IMAS. I was able to access the DNA data that her team used to identify four principal marine predator species – Short Tailed Shearwaters; Shy Albatross, Long-nosed fur seals and Australian Fur Seals. The team collected the scats of these predators at various remote island sites, over a range of seasons, which allowed them to identify the various species comprising their diet by DNA analysis. My (lighthearted) approach has been to convert the short DNA sequences of both predator and prey into musical notation, and hence into short compositions, where each DNA I.D. is assigned to a different instrument. This material is then displayed graphically like the clipboard menus used by cafes and bistros. Images of the species sit alongside their DNA identities and corresponding short musical compositions, which are accessed via QR codes. 'Learning Otherwise' collective exhibition at FBAUL, 5-25 February 2026.

AB - Menu was created collaboratively with marine scientist Julie McInnes of IMAS. I was able to access the DNA data that her team used to identify four principal marine predator species – Short Tailed Shearwaters; Shy Albatross, Long-nosed fur seals and Australian Fur Seals. The team collected the scats of these predators at various remote island sites, over a range of seasons, which allowed them to identify the various species comprising their diet by DNA analysis. My (lighthearted) approach has been to convert the short DNA sequences of both predator and prey into musical notation, and hence into short compositions, where each DNA I.D. is assigned to a different instrument. This material is then displayed graphically like the clipboard menus used by cafes and bistros. Images of the species sit alongside their DNA identities and corresponding short musical compositions, which are accessed via QR codes. 'Learning Otherwise' collective exhibition at FBAUL, 5-25 February 2026.

M3 - Exhibition

PB - SonicObjects; SonicArchitecture

CY - FABUL Gallery, Lisboa, Portugal

ER -

Menu

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