We always speak of “visions of the future”, but what if we were to let the auditory realm lead our imaginings?

Sounding the Future brings together the worlds of speculative fiction and audio art. It is an intensive program of research and creative development that will seek to predict what art in future will sound like. This act of prediction is inevitably informed by the present and thus it will also take stock of the sound of art today.

Sounding the Future will result in a body of ficto-critical works that can be delivered via gallery installation, radiophonic presentation and e-publishing. The spine of the work will be a number of future scenarios in which sound and its manifestation as sound art, is the dominant novum[1] — the paradigm shifter.

The narratives revolve around two themes: Future Human — the integration of technology and biology resulting in trans- and post-human conditions; Future City — the exploitation of the sonic potentials of the new cities we imagine. Nested within these narrative trajectories will be non-fictional material  — Future Citings — short text essays, video, artist interviews interviews and studies which provide factual and theoretical grounding for these future speculations.

Stage 1 (2014-2015)

Single room installation presented as part of Move On, Werkleitz, Halle, Saale, Germany
October 9-25, 2015, as part of the European Media Arts Network program.
More info

Panel Presentation at Impakt: The Future of the Past
Utrecht, Nov 1, 2015
See full presentation on Youtube

Stage 2 (2016-2017)

International presentations:
ISEA2016 Hong Kong
Sounding the Future presented in the juried exhibition
May 16-22, 2016

Radio Feature
3-part series commissioned by ABC Radio National's Soundproof program
Aired Sept/Oct 2016

E-literature adaptations
Welltuned City for continent journal, August 2016

Sounding the Future - epublication
interactive iBook and PDF versions including UTS exhibtion catalogue

Sounding the Future - Curated exhibition
UTS Gallery, 1 August - 22 September 2017
featuring Peter Blamey, George Poonkin Khut, Pia van Gelder

About the artist

GAIL PRIEST is a Sydney-based artist with a multi-faceted practice in which sound is the key material of communication and investigation. Her work comprises solo electro-acoustic performance and recordings, sound installations for gallery contexts, sound design for performance and video, as well as curation, critique and advocacy.

Her ongoing interest is in exploiting the liminal zone between figuration and abstraction, meaning-making and meaning breaking. In her gallery practice she seeks to create immersive listening environments that actively engage audiences, luring them into a heightened auditory realm, and challenging the visual-bias of the both the gallery and contemporary living.

She has presented performances and exhibitions nationally and internationally including Sydney, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Berlin. In 2015-16 she has been awarded an Emerging & Experimental Arts Fellowship from the Australia Council. http://www.gailpriest.net

Acknowledgements