what do i hear?

what do i hear?

a collaboration of the otherabilities (nl) and vibrafusion lab (ca)

22 November 2021 - 28 November 2021

“We are connected with the world through our senses. The senses are not merely passive receptors of stimuli, and the body is not only a point of viewing the world from a central perspective. Neither is the head the sole locus of cognitive thinking, as our senses and entire bodily being directly structure, produce and store silent existential knowledge.”

Pallasmaa Juhani, The Thinking Hand

What if everyone could enjoy the experience of the sound of art works, including Deaf/deaf/hard of hearing art audiences? An international team of artists, designers, engineers, a composer, an architect and an art historian have collaborated to prototype a series of tools, which enable a sensory translation of audible sound to vibrotactile experiences.

By means of artistic research the team of What Do I Hear? explore how technology could shift perceptions of accessibility and inclusivity for art audiences with a sensory disability. This pilot research aspires to create possibilities for Deaf/deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people to experience in the same space the sound of music pieces, sound art works, films and so on. The ultimate aim of this project is to embed the sensory translation tools in the architecture of spaces where art is presented.

The prototype-tools will be installed and tested in public for the first time at Bradwolff Projects. The presentation at Bradwolff Projects is part of the testing phase of the first prototype tools for sensory translation of audible sound to vibration that were created in the summer of 2021.

Between 22 – 28 November 2021 Bradwolff Projects will host user tests, workshops and other forms of experimentation with the prototypes by individuals and groups. Everyone is welcome. For more information and appointments contact office@otherabilities.org.

During Bradwolff Projects’ regular opening hours Thursday – Saturday 13:00 – 17:00 hrs. the prototypes are available for the public without appointment.

What Do I Hear? is a collaboration of The OtherAbilities (The Netherlands) and VibraFusion Lab (Canada).
What Do I Hear? team: Adi Hollander (IL/NL), Alina Ozerova (RU/NL), Andreas Tegnander (NO/NL), David Bobier (CA), Ildikó Horváth (HU/NL), Jim Ruxton (CA), Mark Ijzerman (NL), Eva Fotiadi (GR/NL), Rébecca Kleinberger (FR/US), Akito van Troyer (US), Maria Kandyla (GR/NL), Michele Abolaffio (IT/NL), Mor Efrati (IL), Claudio F. Baroni (ARG/NL), Yonatan Cohen (IL/US)

The artistic research for What Do I Hear? has been supported by Mondriaan Fonds, Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, Ontario Arts Council (Canada), A.Holl Studio, VibraFusion Lab, Center[3] (Canada), and Caradt – Center for Research in Art, Design & Technology) and Amsterdam Fonds voor de Kunst.

press release