Ears don’t have lids

Friday, 2nd of November 2020 

Shots are being heard in the city center of Vienna. Eyewitnesses thought of premature New Year’s Eve celebrations. Four people were killed, many others were critically injured.

Sunday, 7th of November 2020

A white pickup is driving through Josefstädter Straße in the 8th district of Vienna. Recorded sounds of rifle shots, followed by a call to prayer, are being played back from loudspeakers. Residents feel threatened about the ongoing event and post videos of the incident on social media.

The sound intervention “Ears don’t have Lids” consists of eight speakers which are hidden from the visitors sight. Loud noises reminiscent of rockets or riffles, continuously sizzle through the air and cannot exactly be localized in the room. The work investigates how real events influence the general perception of sounds and explores the strong entwinement between the sonic event itself and external factors like space and time.