12 uniquely designed speakers, like the hands of a clock, deliver the sounds of the world back to us to observe with our ears.
From the howl of wind to the hum of traffic in the city, we are surrounded by a symphony of sounds every day regardless of whether we actively listen to it. Sound conveys information differently from text, photographs, or video. It allows us to perceive the expanse of a space, the texture of a floor, the number of birds, or even the type heels worn by people passing by.
Observatory Station organises field recordings from around the world by time and location, using the data embedded in each audio file, creating a collection of gifts from strangers; a borderless, living archive that grow as the exhibition continues. Each recording invites the listener to imagine the daily life of another person. In doing so, divisions are set aside as they inhabit shared time as global citizens.
A microphone placed within the Barbican Centre will record a few seconds of sound at random intervals each day and become part of the global sounds heard in this sound installation.
