Join us on December 8 at 7:30 pm for our special exhibit launch to celebrate The Politics of Sound following our members-only sneak peek. The evening will feature a cash bar, introductory remarks, a live musical performance by singer-songwriter Richard Inman, informal tours of the exhibit and opportunities to speak with curators and participants.
Curated by Tyler J Stewart, with artworks by jamilah malika abu-bakare, Adam Basanta, Marjie Crop Eared Wolf, Maskull Lasserre, Benny Nemer and Jessica Thompson.
How do our ears shape our actions? We live in a world of sound, but often don’t pay much attention to how it affects us on a daily basis. The Politics of Sound investigates the role of sound within social relations of power, to show how who we are determines what we hear.
The experience of sound is always influenced by gender, race, sexuality, class, age, ability and other factors. While sound has been used by those in power to motivate, intimidate and dominate, artists have also used sound as a form of resistance against unjust social structures.
This exhibition hopes to show how attentive listening can be a way to bring communities together in understanding and empathy. By blending contemporary artworks and historical artifacts, The Politics of Sound explores the potential of sound to create new understandings and challenges visitors to contemplate their own position within our shared soundscape.
Part of The Politics of Sound, Walking Machine is a wearable sound art piece that enables you to move through your city while hearing the amplified sound of your own footsteps. The machine lets you drift through the streets with heightened sensory awareness—grass swishes like thick curtains, leaves crackle like bacon and ice creaks and groans under your feet. Visitors are invited to borrow a copy of Walking Machine for 30 minutes of sonic exploration. Please speak to our visitor services staff or call 403.320.3954 for more information. You can also join us for special Soundscape Walking Tours featuring Walking Machine on select dates. View our Calendar of Events for more on this event series.
For this temporary exhibition, accessibility supports have been created to improve the experience of visitors with limited vision and limited hearing. For visitors with limited hearing, a text-based guide provides descriptions and a written transcript of audio content. For visitors with limited vision, an audio-based guide provides descriptions of the artworks. Please inquire with the front desk to access these free supports.
Personal guided tours are also available free of charge to support visitors with limited vision or hearing. Please reach out at least 24 hours in advance of your visit by contacting Tyler Stewart, Curator, by phone at 403.320.3907, or by email at tyler.stewart@galtmuseum.com.
Limited vision audio guides:
