COUNTERSONICS: RADICAL SONIC IMAGINARIES
In conversation: Mhamad Safa and Gascia Ouzounian
Tuesday 8 March 2022, 6.30-8.30pm
At The Showroom, London
How can the production of sound and practices of listening operate as modes of resistance and rebuilding in times of conflict and crisis?
Countersonics: Radical Sonic Imaginaries is a new series convened by Gascia Ouzounian exploring sonic tactics for building counter-narratives to contested events, spaces, places and communities.
Join us at The Showroom for this conversation between Mhamad Safa and Gascia Ouzounian, the first event in the series. The discussion will focus on Mhamad Safa’s research as an architect and sound producer, in particular his work on urban acoustics during aerial strikes on Beirut, taking his recently published article Reverberations and Post-War Trauma, 2022 as a point of departure. Together with Ouzounian, Safa will discuss his investigation of the role of echo and reverberation in Beirut; as well as post-war trauma and listening cultures in Lebanon.
Mhamad Safa is a sound producer, architect and researcher, based between London and Beirut. His work focuses on the sonic make-ups of multi-scalar spatial and techno-scientific conditions. He explores their intersections with aural traditions, subcultural practices and environments of conflict. He was a fellow at Ashkal Alwan HWP in 2018. He graduated from the Centre for Research Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London, and is currently a Phd candidate in International Law at the University of Westminster. Safa has shown individual and collaborative artwork and performances at Goethe-Institut Lebanon, Beirut; Arab Center for Architecture, Beirut; the Institute for Contemporary Art, London; the Centre for Research Architecture, London, and the Sharjah Architecture Triennial among others.
This conversation is co-presented by The Showroom and Gascia Ouzounian. It forms part of the public programme for Haig Aivazian: All of your Stars are but Dust on my Shoes at The Showroom.
Please note this event is sold out. A transcript and audio recording will be made available at soncities.org