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30/1/2012

Lawrence Abu Hamdan

The Showroom, London

Since 2010, The Showroom has been working with the artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan on the ongoing research project Aural Contract, commissioned as part of the gallery’s participatory programme Communal Knowledge Constituted by a series of events, publications, performances, exhibitions, interviews, compositions and workshops Aural Contract examines the politics of listening through a focus on the role of the voice in law. Throughout the project Abu Hamdan has built up a sound archive, containing audio extracts of his works together with specific moments of juridical listening and speaking gathered from a wide range of sources such as the trials of Saddam Hussein and Judas Priest, UK police evidence tapes, films such as Decoder and readings from texts including Italo Calvino’s A King Listens.

Here The Showroom presents the most recent stages of the project as an installation featuring a new commission The Freedom of Speech Itself, excerpts from Abu Hamdan's audio archive, and a workshop led by the artist on Harold Pinter's play Mountain Language. To accompany the exhibition is a series of events titled The Right to Silence that focus on the legal status of the voice, programmed in collaboration with Electra.

The Freedom of Speech Itself is an audio documentary looking at the the history and contemporary application of forensic speech analysis and voice-prints, focusing on the UK’s controversial use of voice analysis to determine the origins and authenticity of asylum seekers’ accents. Testimonies from lawyers, phonetic experts, asylum seekers and Home Office officials reveal the geo-politics of accents and the practice of listening that led to shocking stories of wrongful deportations. When combined with the experimental audio composition these interviews are designed to fully immerse the listener in the heart of a discussion that profoundly problematises the nature of listening, forensics, free speech, migration, borders and the law

Events: The Right to Silence
This event series expands on the research and polemics at the core of Lawrence Abu Hamdan’s Aural Contract project, focusing on the politics of listening and the legal status of the voice. The Right to Silence accompanies his exhibition Aural Contract: The Freedom of Speech Itself and is realised as a collaboration between Abu Hamdan, the Showroom and Electra.

Saturday 11 February, 4.30pm, The Showroom
Multidisciplinary presentations and performances responding to tracks from the Aural Contract Audio Archive, including contributions from artists Kobe Matthys (Agency), Salomé Voeglin, artist Paul Elliman and bands/musicians tbc.

Saturday 25 February, 4.30pm, The Showroom
A seminar focusing on the legal status of the voice, bringing together contributions by legal scholars, writers and artists including media theorist Susan Schuppli.

Wednesday 7 March, 7pm, Electra
Address: 3rd Floor Shacklewell Studios, 18 Shacklewell Lane, London E8 2EZ UK
Documentary double bill, including Jean-Pierre Gorin’s 1979 film Poto and Gabengo, and The Right to Remain Silent, a This American Life documentary about the recordings of New York police officer Adrian Schoolcraft.

The Freedom of Speech Itself is produced by Somethin’ Else and commissioned by The Showroom and Forensic Architecture at the Department for Visual Cultures Goldsmiths, University of London. The project is part of Communal Knowledge supported by The Paul Hamlyn Foundation, John Lyon's Charity and members of The Showroom’s Supporters Scheme. It is also part of Survival Kit: Art linking society, knowledge and activism, supported by Culture 2007-2013 programme of the European Union.

The Freedom of Speech Itself will be played on the hour and lasts approximately 30 minutes

Accompanying the exhibition is The Right to Silence, an event series on the legal status of the voice and the politics of listening realised in collaboration with Abu Hamdan, THE SHOWROOM and Electra.

Saturday 11 February, 4.30pm
Saturday 25, 4.30pm
Wednesday 7 March, 7pm, at Electra

Press Preview: 31 January, 9.30am-12pm

Preview: 31 January, 6.30-8.30pm

The Showroom
63 Penfold Street London
Opening hours: Wednesday — Saturday, 12-6pm
Admission free

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