Unseen
Eyes closed, ears wide open. What do you hear when seeing is no longer an option? During Unseen, you are guided through the city while blindfolded, and discover a world that has always been there, but that you may never have truly heard before. Gradually, you become aware of the rich array of sounds that surrounds us every day.
Each participant’s experience is different, but everyone returns with new ears.
“Before long, it becomes easier to focus on the sounds of the city, and you quickly notice how (relatively) quiet the urban environment can suddenly feel – sometimes simply by turning into a different street.”
– Martin Desloovere, soundwalk participant
Unseen invites you to experience the world through your ears rather than your eyes, becoming more aware of the soundscapes we inhabit. Subtle details that usually go unnoticed playfully sharpen your listening.
As urban designer Violette Schönberger puts it: “Isolate your senses and focus solely on sound. A whole world of nuance will open up. You hear so much more with your eyes closed.”
Discover how silence, noise, and rhythm together create a new perspective on the city. Interested in organising Unseen yourself? Email us for more information.
An Unseen walk with converted helmets was developed for the TRACK city festival (2012, S.M.A.K.)
"Soon you succeed more and more in focusing on the sounds of the city, and you quickly notice how (relatively) quiet the urban environment can suddenly be, for example just by turning into another street." Martin Desloovere during TRACK (S.M.A.K.).
Different types of soundwalks
aifoon has different types of soundwalks: with or without the use of technology, with or without the use of sound or voice. Some walks you have to do independently, some in duo, others in group.
The walk can be a choreographed score or an improvisation with extra audio elements, for example from a speaker that the walkers carry on their backs. The sound composition coming from the speakers interferes with the sounds of everyday life. Not only do you start listening to your surroundings in a different way, passers-by suddenly pick up on the unexpected sounds and become more aware of their listening.
Examples of speaker walks are:
Our installation 'De Zwerm', which is currently being developed and consists of 20 wireless speakers in a network, can also be used to do sound walks.
If you want tips and tricks to make your own soundwalk, go to our Wikifoon.
Just like a sound massage and audio hacking, a sound walk is a method to explore listening during our participatory projects, artistic workshops and masterclasses.