Echoes of Listening: Being With

Artist's note

In the light of human-made ecological ruptures and constructed separateness between humans and other organisms, to both artists listening as a practice has yielded humble possibilities of re-encountering and reconnecting, as listening asks us to pause and be with the heard. The piece explores the relationship of listening and body and the affect of one on the other, while allowing the layered depths of close and distant biophony* inform their movements, breathing and modes of being. How can we experience and encounter other beings, if not with our preconceptions of how we perceive the things around us? And what do mythologies, creative and everyday practices tell us about plant beings? To counter anthropocentric perspectives, the work invites sensing as perceiving, encouraging mindful reconnection with who and what surrounds us: through listening, moving, resonating and echoing somatic comprehension.

*The sound of creatures like animals, birds, insects.

The work is a collaboration between sound, installation and video mediums. The video is a choreographic camera exploration of movement, space and lens and is shot with mobile phone. 

Introduction

In the vinyl greenhouse, which is a semi-cylinder-shaped plant pavilion, you can hear the sound of nature. As you walk along the path through the dirt mounds planted with wildflowers, you can hear the sound of birds and insects. Sitting on a chair here and there, you can hear the sound of creatures even better. You can walk through the garden of wildflowers, listen to the sound of nature, read the texts prepared by artists, and watch their videos. Nature holds us back and whispers into our ears.

ⓒ Portrait Owen FIENE, Shehan OBEYSEKERA