viVa.VoCe. // Information. 

viVa.VoCe. – a five-channel site-specific sound installation by Eran Tsafrir (in collaboration with sound designer Leandro Mariano Meta Otero) was on show at the Old Street Magistrates’ Court, London’s East End in January 2012. In tandem with ‘the trials of the 1%’ by Occupy London, viVa.voCe. (in law, reference to evidence being heard orally in civil trials) brought to life the derelict detention cells of the Grade II Listed court building with the haunting sounds of protest and the political hum of the 1%.

Visitors to viVa.voCe. enter the fully dark basement of the Old Street Magistrates’ Court building alone – one at a time, equipped with a torch. They walk down a long corridor out of which branch derelict detention cells, immersed in sound emanating from audio systems installed within – political speeches and statements by members of the Coalition and Opposition about the financial crisis, austerity measures, cuts, protests, riots, strikes and occupation. And from an isolated cell at the far end of the corridor, behind a heavy closed metal door comes the muffled sound of protesters, rioters, and crowd risers at Occupy general assemblies.



viVa.VoCe. is part of diG.shaKe.riSeandblEEed,myloVe. - a project questioning the potency of demonstration, revolt and sacrifice as an instrument for policy change, against the backdrop of the current economic downturn, cuts, job losses, protest, strikes, riots and occupations.


diG.shaKe.riSeandblEEed,myloVe. is created within the ambit of conteXtism – a manifesto-driven initiative aimed at illuminating the interrelationships between art and the social, political, economic, religious, ethical and legal contexts in which it is made and displayed. In the belief that art has the power to unravel the complexity, intricacy and multi-dimensionality of prevailing human and social reality and the forces that shape it, artwork created as part of the project serves as a trigger for debate, and for tackling questions about the wave of protest we have witnessed in the last few years.

The project's WordPress Blog and Facebook Page contain a selected assembly of news reports, analyses and commentaries published in the press since 2010 in response to events on the ground. There are photographs that form part of the artwork, architectural sketches, hundreds of work-in-progress (WiP) photos, commissioned articles and audio and video pieces.

To join:

'Like’ the project on Facebook.

Subscribe to the Blog.

Follow on Twitter.



Poster

View / download exhibition poster. 


Listen

Listen to the sound installation and view images of the exhibition space.

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