THE OTHER SOUND

Timed sound intervention in public space, two megaphones, 4′ each

The sound intervention consists of two megaphones positioned at opposite sides of the Ebertplatz facing each other, each triggering sound simultaneously at specific times. Depending on where a person stands, the sound is perceived differently, which can be adjusted by moving around between the two sound sources, standing closer/further from one of the megaphones, turning away or finding the perfect stereo middle position.

A Christian church bell and the Adhan, the Muslim call to prayer by a Muezzin singer, meet and mingle. In their original, actual context both sounds would offer orientation: spatial orientation, cultural definition, temporal structure as well societal and personal identity. Their unusual combination and out-of-place and context positions irritate and disrupt the festival’s events.

This experimental intervention basis on the Cityleaks festival’s theme “Sharing Cities” by discussing inter-religious and inter-cultural subjects, filling public space with sound which is hard to escape and triggering multiple associations and emotions depending on the audience’s individuals’ backgrounds leading to political and cultural questions about belonging, identity and shared space.

  • The Muezzin call was recorded at the Chorweiler Central Mosque, the only Mosque in Cologne allowed to publicly call for prayer by loudspeaker. The friday prayer sound was recorded at 1:37PM on Friday 15th 2017.
  • The bells were recorded from the Agnes Church – closest church to Ebertplatz – on Sunday 11th, 2017, 11AM.

Times of intervention on 17th of September 2017 (details):

11 AM Holy mass
1:27 PM Chur
4:51 PM Asr
7:43 PM Maghreb

Public intervention

Cityleaks Festival, Cologne, DE, 2017

Partner

Cityleaks Festival 2017 curated by Iren Tonoian and Georg Barringhaus